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GAMES FOR 
ALL OCCASIONS 



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GAMES FOR 
ALL OCCASIONS 



BY 



MARY E. BLAIN c^mj^.^ 



CHICAGO 
BREWER, BARSE C^ CO. 



o\ 






Copyright, 1909 

By 

Brewer, Barse CBu Co. 



LIBRARY of CONGRESS 
TwoCoDles Received 

APR 29 1809 



'^ COPY d. 



PREFACE 

"A Merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance." 
The desire to play and frolic seems to be a heritage 
of mankind. In infancy and early childhood this joy 
and exuberance of spirit is given full sway. In youth, 
that effervescent stage of human existence, "joy is 
unconfined." But in middle age and later life we are 
prone to stifle this wholesome atmosphere of hap- 
piness, with care and worry and perhaps, when a 
vexed or worried feeling has been allowed to control 
us, even forbid the children to play at that time. 
Why not reverse things and drown care and strife 
in the well-spring of joy given and received by re- 
viving the latent spark of childhood and youth ; join- 
ing in their pleasures passively or actively and being 
one of them at heart. So presuming that "men are 
but children of a larger growth," the games, pastimes 
and entertainments described herewith were col- 
lected, remembered and originated respectively with 
the view of pleasing all of the children, from the tiny 
tot to, and including the "grown-up," each according 
to their age and temperament. M. £. B. 



GAMES FOR TINY TOTS 



Games For Tiny Tots 



A RUNNING MAZE 

Form a long line of children — one behind the 
other. The leader starts running, and is followed 
by all the rest. They must be sharp enough to do 
exactly as the leader does. 

After running for a moment or two in the ordinary 
running step, the leader changes to a hopping step, 
then to a marching step, quick time, then to a march- 
ing step, slow time, claps and runs with hands on 
sides, hands on shoulders, hands behind, etc. 

Finally the leader runs slowly round and round 
into the centre, and can either wind the children up 
tightly or can turn them on nearing the centre and 
run out again. For another change the long line 
can start running and so unwind the spiral. 



BEAN BAG 

All stand in a line except one who is the leader 
who stands a short distance opposite the line. 

The leader throws the bean bag to the child at 



12 Games For Tiny Tots 



the head of Ihe line who returns it to the leader. 
The leader ^Pbws it to the next child, who throws 
it back to the leader, and so it is thrown back and 
forth to each child in turn. Any one in the line 
who fails to catch the bag must go to the foot of 
the line. 

If the leader fails to catch the bag he must go to 
the foot of the line and the one at the head of the 
line takes his place. 



"BIRDS FLY." 

This is a very simple game. Each player places 
a finger on the table, which he must raise whenever 
the conductor of the game says : "Birds fly," "Pig- 
eons fly," or any other winged creatures "fly." 

If he names any creature without wings, such as 
"Pigs fly," and any player thoughtlessly raises his 
finger, that player must pay a forfeit, as he must 
also do if he omits to raise his finger when a winged 
creature is named. 



BUTTON, BUTTON 

All the children except the one who passes the 
button sit in a circle with hands placed palm to 
palm in their laps. 

The child passing the button holds it between 
her palms and goes to each one, in turn, slipping 



Games For Tiny Tots 13 



her hands between the palms of the ^ildren. As 
she goes around the circle she dro^ the button 
into some child's hands, but continues going around 
as long after as she pleases, so the rest will not 
know who has it. 

Then she stands in the middle of the circle and 
says: "Button, button, who has the button?" All 
the children guess who has it, the one calling out 
the correct name first is out and it is his turn to go 
around with the button. 



BINGO 

"The miller's dog lay at the mill, 

And his name was little Bingo, 

B with an I, I with an N, N v^ith a G, G with an O, 

His name was little Bingo. 

"The miller he bought a cask of ale, 

And he called it right good Stingo, 

S with a T, T with an I, I with an N, N with a G, 

G with an O, 
He called it right good Stingo/' 

One child represents the miller, the rest stand 
round him in a circle, and all dance round and sing 
the verse. When it comes to the spelling part of the 
rhyme, the miller points to a child who must call 
out the right letter. 

Anyone who makes a mistake must pay a forfeit. 



14 Games For Tiny Tots 



BLINDMAN'S BUFF 

Before beginning to play, the middle of the room 
should be cleared, the chairs placed against the wall, 
and all toys and footstools put out of the way. The 
child having been selected who is to be "Blind Man" 
or "Buff," is blindfolded. He is then asked the 
question, "How many horses has your father?" 
The answer is "Three," and to the question : "What 
color are they?" he replies: "Black, white, and gray." 
All the players then cry: "Turn around three times 
and catch whom you may." "Buff" accordingly 
spins round and then the fun commences. He tries to 
catch the players, whilst they in their turn do their 
utmost to escape "Buff," all the time making little 
sounds to attract him. This goes on until one of 
the players is caught, when Buff, without having the 
bandage removed from his eyes, has to guess the 
name of the person he has secured. If the guess is 
a correct one the player who has been caught takes 
the part of "Buff," and the former "Buff" joins the 
ranks of the players. 



BLOWING THE FEATHER 

All the children, except one, sit on the floor around 
a sheet or table cloth which they hold about eigh- 
teen or twenty inches above the floor. A feather 
is placed on the sheet and at a signal the child near- 
est it blows the feather toward another child. The 



Games For Tiny Tots 15 



object is to keep the feather in the air, not allowing 
it to light. 

The remaining child runs back and forth around 
the group trying to catch the feather. When he is 
successful, the person on whom the feather rested 
or was nearest to, changes place with him. 



COCK FIGHTING 

This is a most amusing game, and although only 
two boys can play at it at one time they will keep 
the rest of the company in roars of laughter. The 
two who are to represent the "cocks" having been 
chosen, they are both seated upon the floor. 

Each boy has his wrists tied together with a 
handkerchief, and his legs secured just above the 
ankles with another handkerchief ; his arms are then 
passed over his knees, and a broomstick is pushed 
over one arm, under both knees, and out again on 
the other side over the other arm. The "cocks" 
are now considered ready for fighting, and are car- 
ried into the center of the room, and placed oppo- 
site each other with their toes just touching. The 
fun now commences. 

Each "cock" tries with the aid of his toes to turn 
his opponent over on his back or side. 

The one who can succeed in doing this first wins 
the game. 

It often happens that both "cocks" turn over at 
the same time, when the fight commences again. 



16 Games For Tiny Tots 



CATCHING THE MOUSE 

The children sit in two rows opposite each other 
with a space between. One child takes the place 
of "cat," being blindfolded, the cat standing at one 
end of the row and the mouse at the opposite end. 
They start in opposite directions, guiding themselves 
by the chairs, the cat trying to catch the mouse. 
When the mouse is caught it is made the "cat," and 
one of the company takes the place of the mouse. 

DROP THE HANDKERCHIEF 

A ring is formed by the players joining hands, 
whilst one child, who is to "drop the handkerchief," 
is left outside. He walks round the ring, touching 
each one with the handkerchief, saying the follow- 
ing words : — 

"A tisket, a tasket 
A green and yellow basket, 
I wrote a letter to my love. 
But on my way, I dropped it; 
A little child picked it up 
And put it in his pocket." 

He must drop the handkerchief behind one of the 
players, who picks it up and tries to catch him be- 
fore he can run around the ring and jump into the 
vacant place. As soon as this happens, the first 
player joins the ring, whilst it is now the turn of the 
second to "drop the handkerchief." 



Games For Tiny Tots 17 



DONKEY^S TAIL 

A good-sized donkey without a tail is first of all 
cut out of brown paper and fastened to the wall. 
The tail is then cut out separately, and a hat-pin 
is stuck through the end. The players arrange 
themselves in a line some little distance from the 
wall, and the fun begins. Each player must, in 
turn, advance with closed eyes towards the donkey, 
and, still keeping his eyes tightly shut, fasten the 
tail in what he believes to be the right position. 
When, amidst much laughter, he is told to open his 
eyes, he finds that he has very carefully fastened 
the tail to the tip of the donkey's ear, or on the side 
of his nose. 



FROG IN THE MIDDLE 

One child is seated on the ground with his legs 
under him and the other players form a ring 
round him. They then pull him about and give 
him little pushes, and he must try and catch one 
without rising from the floor. 

The child who is caught takes the middle, and 
the frog joins the circle. 



GREEN GRAVEL 

Girls form a circle and dance around one of their 
number. The girl in the ring turns her head 



18 Games For Tiny Tots 



gravely as a messenger advances, while the rest sing 
to a pleasing air — 

Green gravel, green gravel, 
The grass grows so green, 

The fairest of ladies. 
Is fit to be seen. 

Dear , Dear 



Your true love is dead ; 
The king sends you a letter 
To turn back your head. 

The process is repeated calling each child by name 
until all of the children have so turned. Turning 
the head is the sign of sorrow. The game is con- 
tinued by the following verse in which the lost 
lovers appear : 



Dear , Dear 

Your true love's not slain, 
The king sends you a letter 

To turn around again. 

And the dancers who have all turned about, are 
one by one made to face the ring. 



HUNT THE RING 

For this game a long piece of string is required. 
On this a ring is threaded, and the ends of the string 



Games For Tiny Tots 19 



are knotted together. The players then take the 
string in their hands and form a circle, whilst one 
of the company, who is called the "hunter," stands 
in the center. The string must be passed rapidly 
round and round, and the players must try to pre- 
vent the "hunter" finding out who holds the ring. 
As soon as he has done this, he takes his place in 
the circle, whilst the person who held the ring be- 
comes the "hunter." 



HOT TAMALES 

The "tamale" in this game is a knotted handker- 
chief. One player is chosen for the Hot Tamale 
man and stands in the center of the room while the 
others sit around in a circle. 

The Hot Tamale man begins the game by saying, 
"hot tamales, hot tamales," at the same time throw- 
ing the hot tamale to some one in the circle who 
must throw it to another player in the circle and so 
on, tossing it from one to another without stopping. 

The Hot Tamale man tries to catch it and if he 
succeeds, the one who last tossed it changes places 
with him and the game continues. 



HUNT THE SLIPPER 

The players seat themselves in a circle on the 
floor, having chosen one of their number to remain 
outside the circle. The children seated on the floor 



20 Games For Tiny Tots 

are supposed to be cobblers, and the one outside 
is the customer who has brought his shoe to be 
mended. He hands it to one of them, saying : — 

"Cobbler, cobbler, mend my shoe; 
Get it done by half-past two." 

The cobblers pass the shoe round to each other 
as quickly as they can, taking care that the customer 
does not see which of them has it. When the cus- 
tomer comes to get it he is told that it is not ready. 
He pretends to get angry and says he will take it 
as it is. He must then try to find it, and the cob- 
bler who has it must try to pass it on to his neighbor 
without its being seen by the customer. The per- 
son upon whom the shoe is found must become the 
customer, whilst the customer takes his place in 
the circle on the floor. 



HOT BOILED BEANS AND BACON 

This is a game for young children. Some small 
article is hidden in the room, while the little one who 
has to find it is sent outside. This finished, the 
players call out together: "Hot Boiled Beans and 
Bacon ; it's hidden and can be taken !" The little one 
enters and begins to hunt about for the hidden ar- 
ticle. When she comes near to its hiding-place, the 
company tell her that she is getting "hot" ; or if she 
is not near it she is told that she is "cold." That 



Games For Tiny Tots 21 



she is "very hot" or "very cold," will denote that 
she is very near or very far away from the object that 
is hidden, whilst if she is extremely near, she would 
be told that she was "burning." In this way the hid- 
den object can be found, and all the children can be 
interested in the game by being allowed to call out 
whether the little one is "hot" or "cold." 

HIDE AND SEEK 

One child is chosen "It." This one stands by a 
post or in a corner which is called "base," and hides 
his eyes. The children decide among themselves 
how many he shall count while they are hiding. 
Suppose they choose loo, then he counts 5, 10, 15, 20, 
etc., until he reaches 100, and then he calls out: 

"Ready or not. 
You shall be caught." 

The children having hidden while he was count- 
ing remain perfectly still while he is hunting them. 
If he passes by some child without finding him, 
that one may run to the "base" and say "One, 
two, three, I'm in free!" As many children as 
can, try to get in "free," but if the one Wjho is "it" 
sees a child, runs to the base and touches it first, 
calling: "One, two, three," and the child's name 
he has to be "it." If the child reaches the "base" 
first he is "free" and the game proceeds until some- 
one is "caught." If all the children get "free" the 
one who is "it" again hides his eyes. 



22 Games For Tiny Tots 



HISS AND CLAP 

This is an excellent party game. One of the com- 
pany goes outside the room, whilst the remainder 
of the players decide amongst themselves which 
of them he shall kneel to. When this is settled 
upon, the person who is outside is allowed to enter, 
and he kneels in front of whom he thinks is the 
right one. If he should make a correct guess, the 
company clap their hands, and the person to whom 
he knelt goes outside. If, however, the guess is an 
incorrect one, the company hiss loudly, and the 
guesser has to go outside, come back, and try again. 
Of course, it will make more amusement if when 
a boy is sent outside the room a girl be chosen as 
the person to whom he has to kneel; and the op- 
posite if a girl be outside the room. 



LONDON BRIDGE 

No game has been more popular with children 
than this, and any summer evening, in the poorer 
quarters of the cities, it may still be seen how six 
years instructs three years in the proper way of con- 
ducting it. Two players, by their uplifted hands, 
form an arch, representing the bridge, under which 
passes the train of children, each clinging to the gar- 
ments of the predecessor and hurrying to get safely 
by. As the last verse is sung the raised Arms of 
the two directors of the game descend and enclose 



Games For Tiny Tots 23 



the child who happens to be passing at the time. 
The prisoner is then led, still confined by the arms 
of her captors, to the corner which represents the 
prison and asked, "Will you have a diamond neck- 
lace or a gold pin?" "A rose or a cabbage?" or 
some equivalent question. The keepers have al- 
ready privately agreed which of the two each of 
these objects shall represent, and, according to the 
prisoner's choice, he is placed behind one or the 
other. When all are caught, the game ends with a 
**Tug of War," the two sides pulling against each 
other; and the child who lets go, and breaks the 
line, is pointed at and derided. The words of the 
rhyme sung while the row passes under the bridge 
are now reduced to two lines : 

London bridge is falling down, 
My fair lady! 

London bridge is falling down, 

Falling down, falling down, 
London bridge is falling down 

My fair lady! 
YouVe stole my watch and kept my keys. 

My fair lady! 
Off to prison you must go, 

My fair lady! 
Take the key and lock her up. 

My fair lady! 



24 Games For Tiny Tots 



MISS JENNIA JONES 

The story of this is originally a love story. The 
young lady dies from a blighted affection and the 
prohibition of cruel parents. 

A mother, seated, Miss Jones stands behind her 
chair, or reclines on her lap as if lying sick. A 
dancer advances from the ring. 

"IVe come to see Miss Jennia Jones, 

Miss Jennia Jones, Miss Jennia Jones— 
I've come to see Miss Jennia Jones, 
And how is she to-day?" 

"She's up stairs washing, 
Washing, washing — 
She's up stairs washing. 
You cannot see her to-day." 

The questions are repeated to the same air for 
every day of the week and Miss Jones is baking, 
ironing, or scrubbing. She is then sick or worse 
and finally is dead. 

"What shall we dress her in. 
Dress her in, dress her in ; 
What shall we dress her in— 
Shall it be blue?" 

"Blue is for sailors. 

So that will never do." 



Games For Tiny Tots 25 



"What shall we dress her in, 

Shall it be red?" 
"Red is for firemen, 

So that will never do." 

"Pink is for babies 

So that will never do.'' 

"Green is forsaken, 

So that will never do." 

"Black is for mourners, 
So that will never do." 

"White is for dead people 
So that will just do." 

"Where shall we bury her? 
Under the apple tree." 

Miss Jennia Jones is "laid out" upon the floor 
and something white thrown over her. 

After the burial is completed the children form 
a ring and sing: 

"I dreamed I saw a ghost last night. 
Ghost last night, ghost last night — 
I dreamed I saw a ghost last night. 
Under the apple tree!" 

The ghost suddenly arises. The ring breaks up, 
the children fly with shrieks, and the one caught by 
the ghost is to take the part of Miss Jennia Jones 
in the next game. 



26 Games For Tiny Tots 



OATS AND BEANS AND BARLEY 

All the children form a ring with the exception of 
one player, who stands in the center. The children 
then dance round this one, singing the first three 
lines of the verses given below. At the fourth line 
they stop dancing and act the words that are sung. 
They pretend to scatter seed; then stand at ease, 
stamp their feet, clap their hands, and at the words : 
"Turn him round," each child turns round. 

They then again clap hands and dance round, and 
when the words: "Open the ring and send one in," 
are sung the center child chooses a partner, who 
steps into the ring, and the two stand together while 
the other children sing the remaining verse, after 
which the child who was first in the centre joins the 
ring and the game is continued as before. 

"Oats and beans and barley O ! 

Do you or I or anyone know 

How oats and beans and barley grow? 

"First the farmer sows his seed. 
Then he stands and takes his ease. 
Stamps his foot and claps his hands. 
And turns him round to view the land. 

"Oats and beans and barley O ! 

Waiting for a partner, waiting for a partner. 

Open the ring and send one in. 

Oats and beans and barley O ! 



Games For Tiny Tots 27 



"So now you're married you must obey, 
You must be true to all you say, 
You must be kind, you must be good, 
And help your wife to chop the wood. 
Oats and beans and barley O !" 



PUSS IN THE CORNER 

This game is really for five players only, but, by 
a little arrangement, six or seven children can take 
part in the fun. 

Four players take their places in the different 
corners of the room, and the fifth who is Puss 
stands in the middle. If a greater number of chil- 
dren wish to play, other parts of the room must be 
named "corners," so that there is a corner for 
everyone. 

The fun consists in the players trying to change 
places without allowing Puss to get a corner. 
When they leave their corners, the player in the 
centre tries to get into one of them. 

When the centre player succeeds in getting into 
a corner, the one who has been displaced has to take 
his place in the middle of the room. 



RULE OF CONTRARY 

This is a simple game for little children. It is 
played either with a pocket-handkerchief, or, if more 



28 Games For Tiny Tots 



than four want to play, with a table cloth or small 
sheet. 

Each person takes hold of the cloth ; the leader of 
the game holds it with the left hand, while with the 
right he makes pretence of writing on the cloth, 
while he says: "Here we go round by the rule of 
contrary. When I say, *Hold fast,' let go ; and when 
I say *Let go,' hold fast.'* 

The leader then calls out one or other of the com- 
mands, and the rest must do the opposite of what 
he says. Anyone who fails must pay a forfeit. 



SOAP BUBBLE BATTLE 

Two children act as captains, one of company 
A, the other of company B and each in turn choose 
a soldier until the children are evenly divided into 
two companies. 

Stretch a rope or cord at a medium height across 
the middle of the room, with company A on one 
side and company B on the other side. 

Each company is provided with a basin of soap 
suds (a little glycerine added to the water will make 
the bubbles last longer) and each soldier with a 
clay pipe. 

Two soldiers, one from company A and one from 
company B stand at arms length from the rope 
and each blows a bubble from his pipe towards the 
"enemy" and over the rope if he can. If a soldier 
blows a bubble over the rope without it bursting 



Games For Tiny Tots 29 

his company wins a point. If he fails to do so, his 
companv loses a point. 

These soldiers step back and two more (one from 
each company) advance and blow a bubble and so 
on until all have had a turn. Some one keeps the 
score and the company having the most points are 
the "victors" and to them belong the "spoils" which 
consists of a tiny paper drum filled with candy, a 
small silk flag or any appropriate prize. 

SPIDER WEB. 

Attach one end of a mmiber of strings (one for 
each guest) to the chandelier. Fasten to the other 
end of each string a small prize wrapped up in tissue 
paper. Have strings of various lengths and twine 
them around the table legs, chairs, etc., some may be 
"spun" around furniture, etc., in adjoining rooms, 
trying to hide the prizes as much as possible. 

At a signal each child takes or is given a string 
from the chandelier and proceeds to wind it around 
an empty spool or piece of pasteboard, until a prize 
is reached. The strings must not be broken. An 
extra prize may be awarded to the child who first 
winds up a string neatly. 

SEVERED FLOWERS 

Cut from colored cloth or paper a number of petals 
for forming wild roses, using pink material; mar- 



30 Games For Tiny Tots 



guerite daisies of white material and pansies of pur- 
ple. Five petals for each rose, five for each pansy 
and ten for each daisy. 

Have the children sit around a table. Provide 
each one with a sheet of plain paper, three pins hav- 
ing the heads covered with yellow tissue paper and 
mixed petals enough to make one of each kind of 
flower. 

At a signal the children begin to make the flowers 
by sticking the pin through the point of the petals 
and pinning each flower to the sheet of paper. 

A prize may be given to the child finishing the 
flowers first or the child making the best looking 
flowers. 



;^%. 



GAMES FOR CHILDREN 



Games For Children 



ACTING PROVERBS 

The best way to play this game is for the players 
to divide themselves into two groups, namely, actors 
and audience. Each one of the actors should then 
fix upon a proverb, which he will act, in turn, be- 
fore the audience. As, for instance, supposing one 
of the players to have chosen the proverb, "A bad 
workman quarrels with his tools," he should go into 
the room where the audience is seated, carrying with 
him a bag in which there is a saw, a hammer, or 
any other implement or tool used by a workman ; he 
should then look round and find a chair, or some 
other article, which he should pretend requires re- 
pairing ; he should then act the workman, by taking 
off his coat, rolling up his sleeves, and commencing 
work, often dropping his tools and grumbling about 
them the whole of the time. 

If this game be acted well, it may be made very 
entertaining. Sometimes the audience are made to 
pay a forfeit each time they fail to guess the proverb. 



34 Games For Children 



BLIND MAN'S WAND 

This is another way of playing Blind Man's Buff, 
and is thought by many to be an improvement on 
that game. 

The player, who is blindfolded, stands in the 
centre of the room with a long paper wand, which 
can be made of a newspaper folded up lengthways, 
and tied at each end with string. The other play- 
ers then join hands and stand round him in a circle. 
Someone then plays a merry tune on the piano and 
the players dance round and round the blind man, 
until suddenly the music stops; the blind man then 
takes the oportunity of lowering his wand upon one 
of the circle, and the player upon whom it has fallen 
has to take hold of it. The blind man then makes 
a noise, such as, for instance, the barking of a dog, 
a street cry, or anything he thinks will cause the 
player he has caught to betray himself, as the captive 
must imitate whatever noise the blind man likes to 
make. Should the blind man detect who holds the 
stick the one who is caught has to be blind man; 
if not, the game goes on until he succeeds. 



THE BLIND POSTMAN 

First a postmaster-general must be appointed, 
whose duty is to write down the names of the play- 
ers, and the names of the cities they have chosen 
to represent. The postman is blindfolded and led 



Games For Children 35 



to the middle of the room, whilst the other players 
are seated round it. The postmaster-general then 
begins to announce that a letter has been sent from 
one town to another, say from Denver to Chicago. 
The two players who have taken those names must 
rise up silently and change seats. 

The postman's duty is to try and seat himself in 
one of the vacant chairs; the player who loses his 
chair must become the blind postman. 



BLOWING THE CANDLE 

Place a lighted candle on a table at the end of a 
room. Invite someone to stand in front of it, then 
blindfold him, make him take three steps backwards, 
turn round three times and then advance three steps 
and blow out the candle. If he fails he must pay 
a forfeit. It will be found that very few are able 
to succeed, simple though the test appears to be. 



CAT AND MOUSE 

All players form a ring, joining hands, except one 
called the Mouse, whom they enclose within the 
circle, and one who is on the outside who represents 
the cat. They then dance around, raising their 
arms at intervals. The cat watches the chance to 
spring into the circle at one side, and the mouse 
dashes out at the other — public sympathy being 



36 Games For Children 



with the mouse, his or her movements are aided 
when possible. When the cat is in the circle, the 
players lower their arms so as to keep the enemy 
prisoner. The cat goes around meekly, crying 
"mew," while the rest dance around her. With a 
sudden "miaou!" she tries to break through any 
weak place in the chain of hands. 

As soon as she escapes she tries to catch the 
mouse, who runs for safety into the ring again, 
hotly pursued. If the cat is so near as to follow the 
mouse into the ring, before her entrance can be pre- 
vented, or if she catches the mouse outside the circle, 
the mouse must pay a forfeit. Two more players 
are then named by the cat and mouse to succeed 
them. 



THE CLAIRVOYANT 

The clairvoyant goes out of the room, undertaking 
to name the person whom his confederate shall point 
out. 

The door being shut upon the clairvoyant the con- 
federate points to one whom we will call Mr. B. 

"At whom am I pointing?" he queries. 

"At Mr. B.," replies the clairvoyant. 

The trick is for the clairvoyant and his confeder- 
ate to arrange between them that the person who 
speaks last before the clairvoyant leaves the room 
is the person to be pointed at. 



Games For Children 37 

THE CUSHION DANCE 

The children first of all divide themselves into 
two parties. They then form a ring, and commence 
dancing round a hassock which is placed, end up- 
wards, in the middle of the room. Suddenly one 
party endeavours to pull the other party forward, 
so as to force one of their number to kick the has- 
sock and upset it. 

The player who has been unfortunate enough to 
touch the hassock has then to leave the circle. The 
game proceeds until only two remain; if these two 
happen to be boys the struggle is generally pro- 
longed, as they can so easily jump over the hassock, 
and avoid kicking it. 



"CHANGE SEATS: THE KING'S COME." 

In this game as many seats are placed round the 
room as will seat all the players but one. This 
one stands in the middle of the room, repeating the 
words: "Change seats, change seats;" but no one 
moves unless he says: "Change seats: the king's 
come." 

Then all must change seats. In the bustle, the 
one standing can generally manage to secure a seat, 
when the person left out must take his place. 

The person in the centre may tell a story if he 
chooses, bringing in the words ; "Change seats," oc- 



38 Games For Children 



casionally, and sometimes he may say slily: "The 
king's not come," when everyone should, of course, 
remain seated; but some are sure to mistake the 
words for "The king's come," and jump up, when 
the centre player can slip into a seat. 



DUCK UNDER THE WATER 

Each child chooses a partner and stands opposite 
to her, so that two long lines are formed. Each 
couple holds a handkerchief between them, as high 
as they can lift their arms, so as to form an arch. 
The couple standing at the top of the lines run 
through the arch without letting go their handker- 
chief, and station themselves at the bottom of the 
lines, raising their handkerchief again so as to con- 
tinue the arch. This is done by each couple in suc- 
cession until all have had a turn. Whoever breaks 
the arch or drops the handkerchief must pay a forfeit. 



THE GARDENER 

Any number of children can play. One is chosen 
as leader and is called the "gardener." 

All the children sit in a circle and the "gardener" 
gives each one in turn the name of some flower. 
When all are named the "gardener" stands in the 
centre of the circle and tells how he has gone to the 
woods to gather certain flowers; how he has trans- 



Games For Children 39 



planted them to form a lovely garden; the care he 
has to take of them, and so on, telling quite a long 
story and bringing in the names of all the flowers 
he has given to the children. 

As a flower is mentioned, the child who has that 
name rises, turns around, and sits down again. 
Anyone who fails to rise when his flower is named 
must pay a forfeit. When the gardener says some- 
thing about a bouquet, all the children rise and ex- 
change seats. Then the "gardener" tries to get a 
seat, and if he succeeds, the person who has no seat 
becomes the "gardener" and the game goes on as 
before. 



GOING TO JERUSALEM 

A row of chairs, facing alternately different ways, 
is placed through the centre of the room — a chair 
for every player except one. 

Some one at the piano plays a lively air, first fast, 
then slow, very loud, then low — ^while the children 
march around the chairs without touching them, 
keeping time with the music. When the music 
suddenly stops, all rush for a seat. A chair must be 
taken away each time the marching recommences — 
until but two chairs remain, when the excitement be- 
comes intense. The one who at the moment that 
the music ceases has the good fortune to seat him- 
self or herself in the one chair remaining wins the 
game and perhaps a prize. 



40 Games For Children 

GAME OF CAT 

The person who is to play the part of Cat should 
stand outside of the door of the room where the com- 
pany is assembled. The boys and girls, in turn, 
come to the other side of the door and call out 
"miaou." 

If the Cat outside recognizes a friend by the cry, 
and calls out her name correctly in return, he is al- 
lowed to enter the room and embrace her, and the 
latter then takes the place of Cat. 

If, on the contrary, the Cat cannot recognize the 
voice, he is hissed, and remains outside until he is 
able to do so. 



GRAND MUFTI 

One of the company is chosen as Grand Mufti. 
The others then form a circle with the Grand Mufti 
in the centre, and every action which he performs, 
if preceded by the words, "Thus says the Grand 
Mufti," must be imitated by every member of the 
circle. 

The Grand Mufti, in order to lead one of the com- 
pany astray, will sometimes omit to say the words : 
"Thus says the Grand Mufti;" in this case if any 
member of the company imitate his action, he is com- 
pelled to pay a forfeit. 



Games For Children 41 



HERE I BAKE, HERE I BREW 

The players join hands in a circle, with one of 
their number in the middle, who is supposed to be a 
captive, longing for freedom and reduced to diplo- 
matic means to secure it. 

The prisoner touches one pair of joined hands 
in the circle saying, "Here I Bake." Then, passing 
to the other side, says, "Here I Brew," as she touches 
another pair of hands. Suddenly, then, in a place 
least suspected, perhaps whirling around and spring- 
ing at two of the clasped hands behind her, or at the 
pair which she had touched before, if their owners 
appear to be off guard, she exclaims "Here I mean 
to break through!" and forces her way out of the 
circle if she can. 

The players must be on the alert and strongly re- 
sist the captive's effort to escape. 

Those who permitted her to regain her freedom — 
through inattention or weakness — ^must then make 
use of the "counts" familiar to all generations of 
children, to decide which of them shall take the 
place of the prisoner. 



HAT GAME 

One of the players has two hats, one he places 
on his own head and the other he hands to one of 
the company. The person who has received the 
hat must then make every action contrary to the 



42 Games For Children 



action of the person who handed him the hat. For 
instance, if No. i sits down, No. 2 must stand up. If 
No. I takes his hat off, No. 2 must put it on. If No. 
2 fails he must pay a forfeit. The time of trial is 
limited to three minutes, or less if the players wish, 
after that No. i is bound to take the hat and be tried 
in his turn. 



THE HUNTSMAN 

One person represents the huntsman, the other 
players call themselves after some part of a hunts- 
man's belongings; for instance, one is the cap, an- 
other the horn, others the powder-flask, gun, whip, 
etc. 

A number of chairs are arranged in the middle of 
the room, and there must be one chair less than the 
number of players, not counting the huntsman. 

The players then seat themselves round the room, 
whilst the huntsman stands in the center and calls 
for them one at a time, in this way : "Powder-flask !" 
At once "Powder-flask" rises and takes hold of the 
huntsman's coat. 

"Cap," "Gun," "Shot," "Belt," the huntsman cries; 
each person who represents these articles must rise 
and take hold of the player summoned before him, 
until at length the huntsman has a long line behind 
him. He then begins to run round the chairs, until 
he suddenly cries: "Bang," when the players must 



Games For Children 43 



sit down. Of course, as there are not sufficient 
chairs, one player will be left standing and he must 
pay a forfeit. The huntsman is not changed through- 
out the game, unless he grows tired, when he may 
change places with one of the others. 



"HE CAN DO LITTLE WHO CAN'T DO THIS." 

One of the players takes a stick in his left hand and 
thumps the floor with it, sa5dng, "He can do little 
who can't do this." Then he hands the stick to an- 
other player, who will most probably use his right 
hand when holding the stick and thumping the 
ground. If he does he is told he has failed in the 
simple task, and the stick is handed to another. 
The game goes on until someone discovers that the 
secret of the trick is to copy the leader exactly, and 
therefore the stick must be held in the left hand. 



HISSING AND CLAPPING 

As many chairs as there are players must be ar- 
ranged down the middle of the room. The girls 
then all sit down so that each has a vacant chair 
next her, and the boys retire from the room. Dur- 
ing their absence the girls all decide which par- 
ticular boy is to occupy the vacant chair next 
her, and the boys are summoned in turn. On 
entering the room the boy must walk straight to 



44 Games For Children 



the chair next the girl whom he imagines to have 
chosen him, and sit down. If he has guessed cor- 
rectly he is loudly clapped by all the girls present, 
and another boy is called in. But if he makes 
a mistake, and sits down on the wrong chair, he is 
hissed so vehemently that he is only too glad to 
escape from the room. Another player is called in, 
and the process is repeated, until finally all the 
boys have guessed correctly, and all the vacant 
chairs are occupied. 



HOLDFAST! LET GO! 

For this game the company must divide them- 
selves into parties with four in each group, and one 
odd player who must issue commands and lead the 
game. Each party of four must hold a handker- 
chief cornerwise, one player at each corner. The 
leader of the game then takes up his position in the 
middle of the room from which he issues his com- 
mands in sharp, quick, decisive tones, when he 
shouts "Let go!" the players must all hold tightly 
on to the handkerchief. And when, almost with the 
same breath, he calls "Hold fast!" they must drop 
it as if it burnt the tips of their fingers. The fun of 
the game lies in the leader issuing his commands so 
rapidly one on top of the other that the players be- 
come bewildered. The players who make a mistake 
retire from the game, until finally only one of the 
four is left and he becomes leader. 



Games For Children 45 



HUNT THE WHISTLE 

The chief participator in this game must be igno- 
rant of the trick about to be played. He is told to 
kneel down whilst a lady knights him, naming him 
"Knight of the Whistle." During the process 
someone fastens a small whistle to his coat tails by 
means of a piece of ribbon. He is then bidden to 
rise up and search for the whistle. The hunt begins ; 
all the players combine to deceive the searcher ; they 
must blow the whistle whenever they can do so with- 
out being detected. When the searcher discovers 
the trick the game is, of course, at an end. 



"I SELL MY BAT, I SELL MY BALL" 

A ring is formed with one child in the middle, who 
is called the "drummerman." Whatever this child 
does the others mimic, moving round as they do so, 
and singing the following words : — 

"I sell my bat, I sell my ball, 
I sell my spinning-wheel and all ; 
And 1*11 do all that e'er I can 
To follow the eyes of the drummer-man." 

Anyone who does not at once imitate the "drummer- 
man" must pay a forfeit and take his place as "drum- 
mer-man." 



46 Games For Children 



JUDGE AND JURY 

The company should be seated in two lines facing 
each other, and one of the party should then be 
elected to act as judge. Each person has to remem- 
ber who is sitting exactly opposite, because when 
the judge asks a question of anyone, it is not the per- 
son directly asked who has to reply, but the person 
opposite to the judge. For instance, if the judge, 
addressing one of the company asks: "Do you like 
apples?" the person spoken to must remain silent, 
whilst the person who is opposite to him must reply, 
before the judge can count ten ; the penalty on fail- 
ing to do this or answering out of one's turn is a 
forfeit. A rule with regard to the answers is that 
the reply must not be less than two words in length, 
and must not contain the words: "Yes," "nio." 
"black," "white," or "grey." For the breaking of 
this rule a forfeit may also be claimed. 



"MY MASTER BIDS YOU DO AS I DO" 

For all those children who are fond of a little ex- 
ercise no better game than this can be chosen. 
When the chairs are placed in order round the room 
the first player commences by saying : "My master 
bids you do as I do," at the same time working away 
with the right hand as if hammering at his knees. 
The second player then asks: "What does he bid 
me do?" in answer to which the first player says: 



Games For Children 47 



"To work with one as I do." The second player, 
working in the same manner, must turn to his left- 
hand neighbor and carry on the same conversation, 
and so on until everyone is working away with the 
right hand. 

The second time of going round the order is to 
work with two; then both hands must work; then 
with three ; then both hands and one leg must work ; 
then with four, when both hands and both legs must 
work; lastly with five, when both legs, both arms, 
and the head must be kept going. Should any of the 
players fail in keeping in constant motion a forfeit 
may be claimed. 



MAGIC MUSIC 

One of the players is sent out of the room, and the 
rest then agree upon some simple task for her to per- 
form, such as moving a chair, touching an ornament, 
or finding some hidden object. She is then called in 
and some one begins to play the piano. If the per- 
former plays very loudly the "seeker" knows that 
she is nowhere near the object she is to search for. 
When the music is soft, then she knows she is very 
near, and when the music ceases altogether, she 
knows that she has found the object she was in- 
tended to look for or has found the task she is to 
perform. 



48 Games For Children 



MALAGA RAISINS 

The players sit in a circle and one who is ac- 
quainted with the trick takes a small stick in his 
right hand, makes some funny movements with it, 
and then, having taken it in his left hand, passes it 
to his neighbor, saying: "Malaga raisins are very 
good raisins, but I like Valencias better." He then 
tells his neighbor to do the same. Should any of 
the players pass on the stick with the right hand, 
they must pay a forfeit, but of course they must not 
be told what mistake they have made until the stick 
has been passed right round the circle. 



"OUR OLD GRANNIE DOESN'T LIKE TEA" 

All the players sit in a row, except one, who sits 
in front of them and says to each one in turn ; "Our 
old Grannie doesn't like T; what can you give her 
instead?" 

Perhaps the first player will answer, "Cocoa," and 
that will be correct ; but if the second player should 
say, "Chocolate," he will have to pay a forfeit, be- 
cause there is a "T" in chocolate. This is really a 
catch, as at first everyone thinks that "tea" is meant 
instead of the letter "T." Even after the trick has 
been found out it is very easy to make a slip, as the 
players must answer before "five" is counted; if 
they cannot, or if they mention an article of food 
with the letter "T" in it, they must pay a forfeit. 



Games For Children 49 



ORANGES AND LEMONS 

Two of the players join hands, facing each other, 
having agreed privately which is to be "Oranges" 
and which "Lemons." The rest of the party form 
a long line, standing one behind the other, and hold- 
ing each other's dresses or coats. The first two 
raise their hands so as to form an arch, and the rest 
run through it, singing as they run : — 

"Oranges and Lemons, 
Say the bells of St. Clement's; 
You owe me five farthings. 
Say the bells of St. Martin's; 
When will you pay me? 
Say the bells of Old Bailey. 
I do not know, 
Says the big bell of Bow. 
Here comes a candle to light you to bed 
Here comes a chopper to chop off your head !" 

At the word "head" the hand archway descends, and 
clasps the player passing through at that moment; 
he is then asked in a whisper, "Oranges or Lemons?" 
and if he chooses "oranges," he is told to go behind 
the player who has agreed to be "oranges" and clasp 
him round the waist. 

The players must be careful to speak in a whisper, 
so that the others may not know what has been said. 

The game then goes on again, in the same way, 
until all the children have been caught and have 



50 Games For Children 



chosen which they will be, "oranges" or "lemons." 
When this happens, the two sides prepare for a tug- 
of-war. Each child clasps the one in front of him 
tightly and the two leaders pull with all their might, 
until one side has drawn the other across a line 
which has been drawn between them. 



OLD SOLDIER 

Old Soldier is a game for young children, and 
though it seems very simple, yet there is a good deal 
of fun in it. One of the children pretends to be an 
old soldier, and goes round begging of each of the 
other players in turn, saying that he is "poor, and 
old, and hungry," and asking what they will do for 
him or give him. In answering the Old Soldier no 
one must say the words : "Yes," "No," "Black," or 
'White," and he must be answered at once without 
hesitation. Anyone who does not reply at once, or 
who uses any of the forbidden words, must pay a 
forfeit. 



POST-OFFICE 

One player begins the game by going out of the 
room, and then giving a double (or postman's) 
knock at the door; it is the duty of one of the other 
players to stand at the door inside the room to an- 
swer the knocks that are made, and to ask the post- 
man for whom he has a letter. 



Games For Children 51 



The postman names some member of the com- 
pany, generally of the opposite sex ; he is then asked, 
"How many stamps are to be paid?" Perhaps he 
will say "six"; the person for whom the letter is 
supposed to be must then pay for it with kisses, in- 
stead of stamps; after which he or she must take a 
turn as postman. 



PETER PIPER 

This is an amusing game for children. A black- 
board is needed upon which the verse, "Peter Piper," 
etc., is illustrated or written so that the words are 
mixed up and it will be difficult to point out. Some 
older person will be needed to superintend the game. 

One child is given a pointer and as the others sing, 
to any familiar tune : 

"Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. 
Now if Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers, 
Where is that peck of pickled peppers, 
Peter Piper picked?" 

she must point out each word or drawing as quickly 
as it is sung. 

If a mistake is made in pointing, the child takes 
her place with the rest and another child is out. 
Each one is given a turn. / 

It is an achievement, if done successfully, and 
some suitable gift should be given as a prize. 



52 Games For Children 



THE SEA AND HER CHILDREN 

The players seat themselves in a circle, one of the 
number remaining in the center to represent the 
"Sea." Each player takes the name of some fish 
and the Sea walking around the circle calls each 
person by the name they have adopted. As they 
are called they must rise and follow the "Sea." 
When all have left their seats the "Sea" begins to 
run about crying: "The Sea is troubled." Sud- 
denly she seats herself, when all her companions 
must try to do the same ; but there will be one seat 
short, so there will be one player left over and this 
player becomes the "Sea." No player must seat 
himself until the "Sea" has taken a chair, and she 
can create some fun by running about and pretend- 
ing she is about to seat herself. Any player seating 
himself before the "Sea" must pay a forfeit. 



THE STAGE COACH 

The leader tells every member of the company to 
choose as a name some article connected with a stage 
coach; the wheels, the horses, the whip, the bridle, 
etc., may be chosen. These the leader jots down 
on a piece of paper and then begins to tell a thrilling 
story. "The stage coach left the old Stag Inn, 
amidst the thundering of the horses' hoofs and the 
cracking of the driver's whip." Some member will 
probably have chosen to be the horses, another the 



Games For Children 53 



whip, and as their names are mentioned they must 
rise, twirl round and sit down again. Then the nar- 
rator continues : "For some miles all went well, then 
a bridle gave way (the bridle must rise and twirl 
round) and the driver put down the reins, jumped 
from his seat and ran to the horses' heads. It was 
found necessary to take the horses out of the shafts 
before the stage coach could proceed on its way." 
As each member's name is mentioned he must rise 
and twirl round ; but when the Stage Coach is men- 
tioned every one must rise and change seats, when 
the narrator, who has been standing, tries to secure 
one. If he succeeds the person left out becomes 
narrator. The great point is for the narrator to tell 
such a thrilling story that the members forget to 
acknowledge the mention of their names, when they 
must pay a forfeit. 

SHADOW BUFF 

A splendid game, and one specially suitable for a 
large party. A sheet or white tablecloth is first of 
all stretched right across the room, and on a table 
behind it is placed a bright lamp. All the other 
lights in the room are then extinguished, and one of 
the players takes a seat upon a low stool midway 
between the lamp and the sheet. The other players 
endeavor to disguise themselves as much as possible, 
by distorting their features, rumpling their hair, 
wearing wigs, false noses, &c., and pass one by one 



54 Games For Children 



behind the player seated on the stool. Their sha- 
dows are thus thrown upon the sheet. The aim of 
the seated player is to guess the identity of the sha- 
dows as they pass before him; and the aim of the 
others is to endeavor by every means in their power 
to keep him from recognizing them. As may be 
imagined, the task of the single player is not an easy 
one, the distorted shadows being vastly different 
from the originals as seen before the lights were 
extinguished. 

STEPS 

The blindfolded player is placed in the middle of 
the room, and the other players all place themselves 
at various distances round him. The blind-man is 
then told how many steps he must take in order to 
be able to touch a certain player. This game does, 
I know, sound rather simple in writing ; but try it, 
and you will find that it is not so easy as you imagine. 
It will also have the effect of making the dullest 
party lively, because the blind-man makes such ab- 
surd mistakes as to the direction and length of steps 
that he has to take. 



THE SPELLING GAME 

Each player in this game has what are called three 
"lives," or chances. When the company is seated 
in a circle, the first player mentions a letter as the 



Games For Children 55 

beginning of a word. The game is for each of the 
company, in turn, to add a letter to it, keeping the 
word unfinished as long as possible. 

When a letter is added to the former letters and it 
makes a complete word, the person who completed 
it loses a "life." The next player then begins again. 

Every letter added must be part of a word, and 
not ah odd letter thought of on the spur of the mo- 
ment. When there is any doubt as to the letter 
used by the last player being correct, he may be 
challenged, and he will then have to give the word 
he was thinking of when adding the letter. If he 
cannot name the word, he loses a "life"; but if he 
can, it is the challenger who loses. 

This is an example of how the game should be 
played. Supposing the first player commences with 
the letter "p"; the next, thinking of "play," would 
add an "1" ; th^ next an "o," thinking of "plough" ; the 
person, not having either of these words in his mind, 
would add "v" ; the next player perhaps, not know- 
ing the word of which the previous player was think- 
ing, might challenge him, and would lose a "life" 
on being told the word was "plover." The player 
next in turn would then start a new word, and per- 
haps put down "b," thinking of "bat," the next, 
thinking, say, that the word was "bone," would add 
an "o," the next player would add "n"; the player 
whose turn it would now be, not wanting to lose a 
"life" .by finishing the word, would add another 
^*n" ; the next player for the same reason would add 



56 Games For Children 

"e," and then there would be nothing else for the 
next in turn to do but to complete the word by add- 
ing "t" and thus losing a "life." 

It will be seen that there are three ways of losing 
a "life." First, the player may lay down a letter, 
and on being challenged be unable to give the word. 
Secondly, he may himself challenge another player 
who is ftot at fault. Thirdly, he may be obliged to 
add the final letter to a word, and so complete it. 



SIMON SAYS 

Seat yourselves in a circle and choose one of the 
company to be the leader, or Simon. His duty is to 
order all sorts of different things to be done, the 
funnier the better, which must be obeyed only when 
the order begins with "Simon says." As, for in- 
stance, "Simon says : 'Thumbs up !' " which, of 
course, all obey; then perhaps comes: "Thumbs 
down!" which should not be obeyed, because the 
order did not commence with "Simon says." 

Each time this rule is forgotten a forfeit must be 
paid. "Hands over eyes," "Stamp the right foot," 
"Pull the left ear," &c., are the kind of orders to be 
given. 



Games For Children 57 

THE SERGEANT 

One player represents the Sergeant, and the others 
the soldiers, whom he is supposed to be drilling. 
When the Sergeant says "Do this," all the players 
must imitate him. But when he says "Do that," 
they must take no notice. 

If a soldier makes a mistake he has to pay a for- 
feit, and takes the Sergeant's place. 



THE SEA KING 

This game can be played by any number of chil- 
dren. They proceed by first choosing one of the 
party to act as the Sea King, whose duty it is to 
stand in the centre of a ring, formed by the players 
seating themselves round him. The circle should 
be as large as possible. Each of the players having 
chosen the name of a fish, the King runs round the 
ring, calling them by the names which they have 
selected. 

Each one, on hearing his name called, rises at 
once, and follows the King, who, when all his sub- 
jects have left their seats, calls out, "The sea is trou- 
bled," and seats himself suddenly. His example is 
immediately followed by his subjects. The one who 
fails to obtain a seat has then to take the place of 
King, and the game is continued. 



58 Games For Children 



TONGUE TWISTERS 

The leader begins by saying the first sentence, 
v/hich is repeated by each player in turn. The leader 
in every case adds the new line, which is repeated 
by the other players in succession. Anyone making 
a mistake or omission drops out of the contest. As 
the ranks grow thinner, the players are required to 
repeat the sentences more rapidly, and no time for 
hesitation allowed. The one who makes no mistake 
is entitled to a prize. 

The sentences are as follows: 

1. One old ox opening oysters. 

2. Two tall Turks twirling twisted turbans. 

3. Three tinkering tailors totally tired. 

4. Four fat Frenchmen fanning a fainting fly. 

5. Five funny farmers feeding feathered fowls. 

6. Six slippery snails slid slowly seaward. 

7. Seven shy soldiers shooting salted salmon. 

8. Eight eccentric Englishmen exhibiting edu- 
cated elephants. 

9. Nine nimble noblemen nibbling nasturtiums. 
10. Ten tipsy tailors toddling timidly together. 



TRADES 

Each player must choose a trade and pretend to be 
working at it. For instance, if he is a tailor he must 
pretend to sew or iron ; if a blacksmith, to hammer, 
and so on. One is the king, and he too, chooses a 



Games For Children 59 



trade. Everyone works away as hard as he can un- 
til the king suddenly gives up his trade, and takes 
up that of some one else. Then all must stop, except 
the one whose business the king has taken, and he 
must start with the king's work. The two go on 
until the king chooses to go back to his own trade, 
when all begin working again. Any one who fails 
either to cease working or to begin again at the 
right time, must pay a forfeit. 

A somewhat more elaborate and livelier game of 
Trades is played by each boy in the party choosing a 
trade which he is supposed to be carrying on. 

The leader must invent a story, and standing in 
the middle, must tell it to the company. He must 
manage to bring in a number of names of trades or 
businesses; and whenever a trade is mentioned, the 
person who represents it must instantly name some 
article sold in the shop. 



THINK OF A NUMBER 

In this game the leader tells one of the players to 
think of any number he likes, but not to say it aloud. 
He next tells him to double it ; this done, the player 
is told to add eight to the result, and then halve it. 
After doing this he must halve the whole, and from 
what is left take away the number first thought of. 
If correctly worked out the answer will be four, 
which is just half the number which the leader told 
the player to add after the original number was 



60 Games For Children 



doubled. For instance, we will suppose the number 
thought of to have been twenty. When doubled, 
the result will be forty. The player then adds eight, 
which gives him a total of forty-eight. He halves 
this, and has twenty-four left. When he has taken 
away the number first thought of (twenty) he has 
a total of four — ^which is half the number the leader 
told him to add in the beginning of the game. 



THIS AND THAT 

A confederate is necessary for this trick. The one 
performing the trick goes out of the room and the 
confederate agrees with the audience to touch a cer- 
tain article. The person outside is recalled and his 
confederate begins to question him. "Did I touch 
this music book ?" "Mo." "Did I touch this table ?" 
"No." "Did I touch this knife?" "No." "Did I 
touch that fork?" "Yes." The secret consists in 
saying the word "that" before the article touched, 
instead of "this." 



WHAT AM I DOING? 

The players seat themselves in a row and the 
leader of the game takes his place behind them, be- 
ginning at the top of the row. He makes some ab- 
surd gesture and then asks the person behind whom 



Games For Children 61 



he is standing "What am I doing?" If the player 
replies incorrectly, and he generally does, he is doom- 
ed to stand up and imitate in silence the gesture he 
could not guess, until he has leave to sit down. 



WONDERMENT 

It is necessary that only two of the party should 
have a knowledge of this game, and then "wonder- 
ment" is sure to be the result. 

The two players agree that a certain word shall 
be regarded as a signal word. As an illustration, 
imagine this word to be "and." 

One of the players asserts his belief that he is 
gifted with second sight, and states that he is able, 
through a closed door, to name any article touched 
by any person in sympathy with him, notwithstand- 
ing the said person may attempt to mystify him by 
mentionoing a lot of other articles. He then chooses 
his confederate, as being one with whom he may be 
in sympathy, and goes outside. 

The player in the room then proceeds to call out, 
perhaps as follows : — Table, Hearthrug, Piano, Foot- 
stool and Chair, Lamp, Inkstand. He then places 
his hand on the back of a chair and asks : "What am 
I touching now?" the answer will, of course, be 
"Chair," because the signal word "and" came im- 
mediately before that article. 

If the players are skilful there is no need for the 
trick to be discovered. 



62 Games For Children 



WINK 

All the girls sit in a circle, and the boys stand 
outside, one boy behind each girl's chair. One chair 
is left vacant, but a boy stands behind it, and by 
winking at the girls one at a time, tries to get one for 
his empty chair. 

As soon as a girl is winked at, she tries to leave her 
seat, and take the vacant one, but if the boy behind 
her touches her before she leaves the seat, she can- 
not go. Each boy has to keep his eye on the one 
who is winking and on the girl in his chair, for if 
he is not watching, she may escape before he has 
time to touch her, and then it is his turn to do the 
winking and get a girl for his chair. 

If the winking is done quickly it adds to the inter- 
est of the game. No boy can keep hold of a girl all 
the time; he must only touch her when she starts 
to leave her place, and then if she is beyond arm's 
length he cannot call her back. 



RIDDLES 

Few children think they will ever tire of playing 
games; but all the same, towards the end of a long 
evening, spent merrily in dancing and playing, the 
little ones begin to get too weary to play any longer, 
and it is very difficult to keep them amused. 

Then comes the time for riddles! The children 
may sit quietly around the room, resting after their 



Games For Children 63 

romps and laughter, and yet be kept thoroughly in- 
terested, trying to guess riddles. 

It is, however, very difficult to remember a num- 
ber of good and laughable ones, so we will give a 
list of some, which will be quite sufficient to puzzle 
a roomful of little folk for several hours. 

Why are weary people like carriage-wheels? — 
Answer : Because they are tired. 

An old woman in a red cloak was passing a field 
in which a goat was feeding. What strange trans- 
formation suddenly took place ? — Answer : The goat 
turned to butter (butt her), and the woman into a 
scarlet runner. 

Why does a duck go into the water? — Answer: 
For divers reasons. 

Spell "blind pig" in two letters? P G; a pig 
without an I. 

Which bird can lift the heaviest weights? — The 
crane. 

Why is a wise man like a pin? — He has a head 
and comes to a point. 

Why is a Jew in a fever like a diamond? — Be- 
cause he is a Jew-ill. 

Why may carpenters reasonably believe there is 
no such thing as stone? — Because they never saw it. 

What is that which is put on the table and cut, 
but never eaten? — A pack of cards. 
y^ Why does a sculptor die horribly? — Because he 
makes faces and busts. 



64 Games For Children 



When does a farmer double up a sheep without 
hurting it? — When he folds it. 
v^ What lives upon its own substance and dies when 
it has devoured itself? — A candle. 
^Why is a dog biting his tail a good manager? — 
Because he makes both ends meet. 

What thing is it that is lower with a head than 
without one? — ^A pillow. 
1 Which is the left side of a plum-pudding? — That 
which is not eaten. 

What letter of the alphabet is necessary to make 
a shoe? — The last. 

If all the seas were dried up, what would every- 
body say? — We haven't a notion (an ocean). 

Why is it certain that "Uncle Tom's Cabin" was 
not written by the hand of its reputed author? — Be- 
cause it was written by Mrs. Beecher's toe (Stowe). 

Why is a fishmonger never generous? — Because 
his business makes him sell fish (selfish). 
V What is that which works when it plays and plays 
when it works? — A fountain. 

What is that from which you may take away the 

whole and yet there will be some remaining? — The 

word wholesome. 

^ Why are fowls the most economical things a 

^ farmer can keep? — Because for every grain they give 

a peck. 

What coin doubles its value by taking away a 
half of it?— Halfpenny. 
/I Why is it dangerous to walk in the meadows in 



Games For Children 65 



springtime? — Because the trees are shooting and 
the bulrush is out (bull rushes out). 

Why is a vine like a soldier? — Because it is listed 
and has ten drills (ten-drils) and shoots. 

Why is an opera-singer like a confectioner? — Be- 
cause she deals in ice-creams (high screams). 
U If a man who is carrying a dozen glass lamps drops 

one, what does he become? — A lamp lighter. 
^ V^hat belongs to yourself, but is used more by 
your friends than by yourself? — Your name. 

Why is a spider a good correspondent? — Because 
he drops a line at every post. 

When is the clock on the stairs dangerous? — 
When it runs down. 

wWhy is the letter "k" like a pig's tail? — Because 
it comes at the end of pork. 
(o What is the keynote to good manners? — ^B natural. 

Why is a five-pound bank-note much more profit- 
able than five sovereigns? — Because when you put it 
in your pocket you double it, and when you take 
it out you will find it in-creases. 
'/Why is a watch like a river? — Because it doesn't 
run long without winding. i 

What is that which flies high, flies low, has no 
feet, and yet wears shoes? — ^Dust. 

When has a man four hands? — ^When he doubles 
his fists. 

What trees has fire no effect upon? — Ash-trees; 
because when they are burned, they are ashes still. 

What is the difference between a schoolmaster and 



7: 



f 



// 



66 Games For Children 

an engine-driver? — One minds the train and the 
other trains the mind. 

V A man had twenty sick (six) sheep, and one died ; 
how many were left? — 19. 

/ V What is that which everybody has seen but will 
never see again? — Yesterday. 

Which is the best day for making a pancake? — 
Friday. 

vWhich is the smallest bridge in the world? — ^The 
bridge of your nose. 

What four letters would frighten a thief? — 
vOICU. 

^What is that which goes from London to York 
without moving? — The road. 

Which is easier to spell — ^fiddle-de-dee or fiddle- 
de-dum?— Fiddle-de-dee, because it is spelt with 
more "e's." 
' f When may a chair be said to dislike you? — ^When 
it can't bear you. 

V What animal took most luggage into the Ark, and 
I which two took the least? — The elephant, who took 

his trunk, while the fox and the cock had only a 
brush and a comb between them. 

Which of the English kings has most reason to 
complain of his washer- woman? — King John, when 
he lost his baggage in the Wash. 

If a bear were to go into a linen-draper's shop, 
what would he want? — He would want muzzlin*. 
/^~" Why is B like a hot fire? — Because it makes oil 
Boil. 



Games For Children 67 



Why was the first day of Adam's life the longest? 
— Because it had no Eve. 

If an egg were found on a music-stool, what poem 
would it remind you of? — "The Lay of the Last 
Minstrel." 

Why is a schoolmaster like a shoe-black? — Be- 
cause he polishes the understanding of the people. 

Why is a washerwoman like a navigator? — Be- 
cause she spreads her sheets, crosses the line, and 
goes from pole to pole. 
^t^^-^Why is an author the queerest animal in the 
world? — Because his tale comes out of his head. 

Why is it that a tailor won't attend to business? — 
Because he is always cutting out. 
/ / When can a horse be sea-green in color?— When 
it's a bay. 

Why were gloves never meant to sell? — Because 
they were made to be kept on hand. 
vWhen are we all artists? — When we draw a long 
face. 
^ S^^--^Why are watch-dogs bigger by night than by day? 
— Because they are let out at night and taken in in 
the morning. 
£oy When is a tradesman always above his business? 
—When he lives over his shop. 

Which is the liveliest city in the world? — Berlin; 
because it's always on the Spree. 

Why is a water-lily like a whale? — Because they 
both come to the surface to blow. 

Why is a shoemaker the most industrious of men? 
— Because he works to the last. 



A 



68 Games For Children 



What is book-keeping? — Forgetting to return boi;- 
rowed volumes. 

Why is scooping but a turnip a noisy process? — 
Because it makes it hollow. 
P^\ / Why are teeth like verbs? — ^Because they are reg- 
ular, irregular, and defective. 

What ships hardly ever sail out of sight? — Hard- 
ships. 

When is an artist a dangerous person? — ^When 
his designs are bad. 

Why are tortoiseshell-combs like citadels? — ^They 

are for-tresses. 

---Why is the Isthmus of Suez like the first "u" in 

/ cucumber? — Because it is between two "c's" (seas). 

\ What motive led to the invention of railroads? — 

The locomotive. , 

Why are deaf people like Dutch cheeses? — Be- 
cause you can't make them here. $ 

When is the best time to get a fresh egg at sea? — 
When the ship lays to. 

Who was the first whistler? — ^The wind. 

What tune did he whistle? — Over the hills and far 
away. 

■NWhy need a traveller never starve in the desert? 
— Because of the sand which is (sandwiches) there. 

Why is sympathy like blindman's-buff — Because 
it is a fellow feeling for a fellow creature. 

If a Frenchman were to fall into a tub of tallow, 
in what word would he express his situation? — In- 
de-fat-i-gabble. (Indefatigable.) 



Games For Children 69 



Why is a diner on board a steam-boat like Easter 
Day? — Because it is a movable feast. 

Why is a little man like a good book? — Because 
he is often looked over. 

V Why is a pig in a parlor like a house on fire? — 
Because the sooner it is put out the better. 

What is the difference between a soldier and a 
bombshell? — One goes to war, the other goes to 
pieces. 

Why is it dangerous to sleep in a train? — Because 
every train runs over all the sleepers on the line. 
ySpell "enemy" in three letters?— F O E. 

Which is the only way that a leopard can change 
his spots? — By going from one spot to another. 

Why did Eve never fear the measles? — Because 
she'd Adam. 

When is a tall man a little short? — ^When he hasn't 
gojt quite enough cash. 

\/What houses are the easiest to break into? — ^The 
houses of bald people ; because their locks are few. 

Why is a watch the most difficult thing to steal? — 
Because it must be taken off its guard. 

Why is there never anybody at home in a convent? 
— Because it is an (n) uninhabited place. 

Why does a person who is not good-looking make 
a better carpenter than one who is? — Because he is 
a deal plainer. 

What is the best tree for preserving order? — The 
birch. 

Why is shoemaking the easiest of trades? — Be- 



70 Games For Children 



cause the boots are always soled before they are 
made. 
^ U X What plant stands for No. 4?— IV. 

How can a gardener become thrifty? — By making 
the most of his thyme, and by always putting some 
celery in the bank. 
^ ■ Why is it probable that beer was made in the Ark? 
— Because the kangaroo went in with hops, and the 
bear was always bruin. 

"What was the biggest thing you saw at the 
World's Fair?" asked a wife of her husband. — "My 
hotel bill !" said he. 

.Why is C like a schoolmistress? — Because it forms 
lasses into classes. 

What is that which never asks any questions and 
yet requires many answers? — The street-door. 

If a man bumped his head against the top of a 
room, what article of stationery would he be supplied 
with? — Ceiling whacks. (Sealing-wax.) 

Which is the longest word in the English lan- 
guage? — Smiles; because there is a mile between 
the first and last letters. 

Which is the oldest tree in England? — The Elder 
Tree. 
C ,How many sides are there to a tree? — Two, in- 

side and out. 

\ What is that which happens twice in a moment 
and not once in a thousand years? — The letter M. 

What sea would a man most like to be in on a 
wet day? — A dry attic. (Adriatic.) 



<x 



^ 



r 



Games For Children 71 

"•Why is coffee like an axe with a dull edge? — Be- 
cause it must be ground before it is used. 

What is the difference between a bottle of medi- 
cine and a troublesome boy?— One is to be well 
shaken before taken, and the other is to be taken 
and then shaken. 

V What makes more noise than a pig under a gate? 
— Two pigs. 

When is a door not a door? — When it is a- jar. 

What is the difference between a naughty boy 
and a postage-stamp? — Because one you stick with 
a lick, and the other you lick with a stick. 

Why did William Tell shudder when he shot the 
apple from his son's head? — Because it was an arrow 
escape for his child. 

^ What is that which the more you take from it the 
larger it grows? — A hole. 

What is the best land for little kittens? — Lapland. 

Why should a man always wear a watch when he 
travels in a waterless desert? — Because every watch 
has a spring in it. 

Of what trade is the sun? — A tanner. 

What relation is a doormat to a door? — Step- 
fa (r) then 

\(What is that which you cannot hold ten minutes, 
although it is as light as a feather? — Your breath. 

What is the worst weather for rats and mice? — 
When it rains cats and dogs. 

^ What is that which never uses its teeth for eating 
purposes? — A comb. 



72 Games For Children 

When are two apples alike? — ^When pared. 

What is the difference between a blind man and 
a sailor in prison? — One cannot see to go and the 
other cannot go to sea. 

Why is a plum-cake like the ocean? — Because it 
contains so many currants. 

What pudding makes the best cricketer? — A good 

/*--fV^ When is a sailor not a sailor? — When he's a- 
• board. 

Why is the snow different from Sunday? — Be- 
cause it can fall on any day in the week. 

What trade would you mention to a short boy? — 
Grow sir (grocer). 
vWhat tree is nearest the sea? — The beech. 

Why is a game of cards like a timber-yard? — Be- 
cause there are always a great many deals in it. 
y (i \ Why is a tight boot like an oak tree? — Because it 
^ produces a corn (acorn). 

Why is a city in Ireland likely to be the largest 
city in the world? — Because each year it is Dublin 
(doubling). 

What is the easiest way to swallow a door? — Bolt 
it. 

Why could a negro slave not be caught if he ran 
away? — Because he would be sure to keep dark at 
all times. 

Why is a dancing-master like a tree? — Because of 
his bows (boughs) . 

V Name a word of five letters from which if you take 
two but "one" remains — Stone. 



GAMES FOR ADULTS 



Games For Adults 



ADVICE 

Each player is given a slip of paper and asked to 
write a piece of advice — the ladies write to the gen- 
tlemen and vice versa. The slips are collected and 
again distributed and each player is asked to read 
the advice which has been given him. Before look- 
ing at the paper he must tell what sort of advice it 
is — good, bad, unnecessary, etc., and whether or 
not he intends to profit by it. 

ADJECTIVES 

A slip of paper and a pencil is given to each player, 
who must then write a number of adjectives upon 
it. The slips are collected and given to the principal 
player, who has undertaken to read out a short story, 
substituting the adjectives on the slips for those 
already in the story. The adjectives must be taken 
as they come and not picked out to suit the story. 
The result is sometimes very laughable; as for in- 

75 



76 Games For Adults 



stance — "The pretty rhinoceros is a very amiable 
animal. It is very attractive in its habits, and lives 
near lakes or rivers. Its delicate skin is so soft that 
special bullets are needed to pierce it, etc." 



''^ANIMAL, VEGETABLE, OR MINERAL?" 

This is a capital game for a large party, for it is 
both instructive and amusing. One player is se- 
lected who has to guess what word or sentence the 
remainder of the company has chosen. He goes out 
of the room, and when the subject has been decided 
upor^, returns and asks a question of each of the 
company in turn. The answer must be either "Yes" 
or "No," and in no case should more words be used, 
under penalty of paying a forfeit. The first import- 
ant point to be found out is whether the subject is 
"Animal," "Vegetable," or "Mineral." Supposing, 
for instance, the subject chosen is a cat which is 
sleeping in the room by the fire, the questions and 
answers might be like the following: — "Is the sub- 
ject chosen an animal?" "Yes." "Wild animal." 
"No." "Domestic animal?" "Yes." "Common?" 
"Yes." "Are there many to be seen in this town?" 
"Yes." "Have you seen many this day?" "Yes." 
"In this house?" "No." "Have you seen many in 
the road?" "Yes." "Do they draw carts?" "No." 
"Are they used for working purposes?" "No." "Is 
the subject a pet?" "Yes." "Have they one in the 
house?" "Yes." "In this room?" "Yes." "Is it 



Games For Adults 77 



lying in front of the fire at the present time ?" "Yes." 
"Is the subject you all thought of the cat lying in 
front of the fire in this room?" "Yes." The subject 
having been guessed, another one is chosen and the 
game proceeds. 



ACTING RHYMES 

For this game, half the players go outside the door, 
whilst those who stay in the room choose a ward 
of one syllable, which should not be too difficult. 
For instance, suppose the word chosen be "Flat," 
those who are out of the room are informed that a 
word has been thought of that rhymes with "Cat," 
and they then have to act, without speaking, all the 
words they can think of that rhyme with "Cat." 
Supposing their first idea be "Bat," they come into 
the room and play an imaginary game of cricket. 
This not being correct, they would be hissed for 
their pains, and they must then hurry outside again. 
They might next try "Rat," most of them going into 
the room on their hands and feet, whilst the others 
might pretend to be frightened. Again they would 
be hissed. At last they boys go in and fall flat on 
their faces, while the girls pretend to use flat-irons 
upon their backs. The loud clapping that follows 
tells them that they are right at last. They then 
change places with the audience, who, in turn, be- 
come the actors. 



78 Games For Adults 



THE BIRD-CATCHER 

To play this game you must first decide which 
one of you is to be the Bird-catcher ; the other play- 
ers then each choose the name of a bird, but no one 
must choose the owl, as it is forbidden. All the 
players then sit in a circle with their hands on their 
knees, except the Bird-catcher, who stands in the 
center, and tells a tale about birds, taking care to 
specially mention the ones he knows to have been 
chosen by the company. As each bird's name is 
called, the owner must imitate its note as well as 
he can, but when the owl is named, all hands must 
be put behind the chairs, and remain there until the 
next bird's name is mentioned. When the Bird- 
catcher cries "all the birds" the players must to- 
gether give their various imitations of birds. Should 
any player fail to give the cry when his bird is 
named, or forget to put his hands behind his chair, 
he has to change places with Bird-catcher. 



BUZZ 

This is a very old game, but is always a very great 
favorite. The more the players, the greater the fun. 
The way to play it is as follows. The players sit 
in a circle and begin to count in turn, but when the 
number 7 or any number in which the figure 7 or 
any multiple of 7 is reached, they say "Buzz," in- 
stead of whatever the number may be. As, for in- 



Games For Adults 79 



stance, supposing the players have counted up to 12, 
the next player will say "13," the next "Buzz," be- 
cause 14 is a multiple of 7 (twice 7) — the next player 
would then say "15," the next "16" and the next 
would of course say "Buzz" because the figure 7 
occurs in the number 17. If one of the players for- 
gets to say "Buzz" at the proper time, he is out. 
The game then starts over again with the remaining 
players, and so it continues until there is but one 
person remaining. If great care is taken the num- 
bers can be counted up to 70, which, according to 
the rules before mentioned, would of course be 
called Buzz. The numbers would then be carried on 
as Buzz I, Buzz 2, &c., up to 79, but it is very seldom 
that this stage is reached. 



BIRDS, FRUITS AND FLOWERS 

In this game every one in the company has to de- 
scribe in a riddle, first a bird, then a fruit, and finally 
a flower. The others must guess. Whoever guesses 
the most is the winner of the game. 
Here are examples of the riddles : 
BIRD. Although a bird I am part of a plant. 

STORK. (Stalk). 
FRUIT. Although a single specimen, I am really 

two. PEAR. 
FLOWERS. Although usually white, I am al- 
ways described as rose colored in hue. 
PINK. 



80 Games For Adults 



CITIES -";' 

Materials required. — ^As many sheets of paper and 
pencils as there are players. 

The players seat themselves round a table, and 
each one is provided with a sheet of paper and a 
pencil. The hostess then asks them to write at the 
head of the paper the name of the town in which 
they were born. A time limit of fifteen minutes is 
then given them in which to make up a sentence, 
each word of which must begin with the letters com- 
posing the name of the town. The sentence must be 
either suggestive, or descriptive of the town which 
each has written on his or her paper. For ex- 
ample : — 

Town — Chicago. 

Sentence — Came home in carriage after going out. 



THE COOK WHO DOESN'T LIKE PEAS 

One of the players commences the game by say- 
ing to his neighbor, "I have a cook who doesn't like 
peas (p's) ; what will you give her for dinner?" The 
person addressed must avoid the letter P in his an- 
swer. For instance, he may answer, "Artichokes," 
"Onions," "Cabbage," and "Carrots," but he must 
not say "Spinach," "Asparagus," "Potatoes." The 
question is then asked of the second player, and so 
on until all have replied. If a player mentions a 
word containing the letter P he has to pay a forfeit. 



Games For Adults 81 



CONSEQUENCES 

One of the most popular games at a party is cer- 
tainly "Consequences" ; it is a very old favorite, but 
has lost none of its charms with age. The players 
sit in a circle; each person is provided with a half 
sheet of notepaper and a pencil, and is asked to write 
on the top — (i) one or more adjectives, then to fold 
the paper over, so that what has been written cannot 
be seen. Every player has to pass his or her paper 
on to the right-hand neighbor, and all have then to 
write on the top of the paper which has been passed 
by the left-hand neighbor (2) "the name of the gen- 
tleman"; after having done this the paper must 
again be folded and passed on as before; this time 
must be written (3) one or more adjectives ; then (4) 
a lady's name; next (5), where they met; next (6), 
what he gave her; next (7), what he said to her; 
next (8), what she said to him; next (9), the conse- 
quence; and lastly (10), what the world said about 
it. 

Be careful that every time anything has been 
written the paper is folded down and passed on to 
the player on your right. 

When every one has written what the world says, 
the papers are collected and one of the company 
proceeds to read out the various papers, and the re- 
sult may be somewhat like this : — 

(i) The horrifying and delightful (2) Mr. Brown 
(3) met the charming (4) Miss Philips (5) in West- 
minster Abbey; (6) he gave her a flower (7) and 



82 Games For Adults 



said to her: "How*s your mother?** (8) She said to 
him: "Not for Joseph;*' (9) the consequence was 
they danced the hornpipe, and the world said: (10) 
"Just what we expected.** 



CROSS QUESTIONS AND CROOKED 
ANSWERS 

To play this game it is best to sit in a circle, and 
until the end of the game no one must speak above 
a whisper. 

The first player whispers a question to his neigh- 
bor, such as: "Do you like roses?** 

This question now belongs to the second player^ 
and he must remember it. 

The second player answers: "Yes, they smell so 
sweetly,'* and this answer belongs to the first player. 
The second player now asks his neighbor a question, 
taking care to remember the answer, as it will be- 
long to him. Perhaps he has asked his neighbor, 
"Are you fond of potatoes?*' And the answer may 
have been, "Yes, when they are fried !** 

So that the second player has now a question and 
an answer belonging to him, which he must remem- 
ber. 

The game goes on until everyone has been asked 
a question and given an answer, and each player 
must be sure and bear in mind that it is the ques- 
tion he is asked, and the answer his neighbor gives^ 
which belongs to him. 



Games For Adults 83 



At the end o£ the game each gives his question 
and answer aloud, in the following manner. 

"I was asked: *Do you like roses?' and the answer 
was *Yes, when they are fried !' " 

The next player says: "I was asked: *Are you 
fond of potatoes?' and the answer was: *Yes, they 
are very pretty, but they don't wear well.' " 



THE CURATE 

A player is chosen to represent "The Curate." 
The other players are assigned such names as 
printer, plumber, jeweler, butcher, druggist, shoe- 
maker, etc. "The Curate" starts the game by say- 
ing, 

"Mr. Butcher (or any other name) I called to see 
you this morning but you were not at home." 

The Butcher: "I had just gone over to the jew- 
eler's." 

Curate : "And what business had you at the jew- 
eler's?" 

(The jeweler is the next to speak but he must not 
do so until the question is answered.) 

"I went to get a bracelet for Mrs. Butcher." 

The Jeweler: "I was not at home for I had gone 
to the printer's." 

The Curate : "And what was your business at the 
printer's?" 

(The printer is the next to speak but he must not 
do so until the question is answered.) 



84 Games For Adults 



The game may be made very interesting by bring- 
ing into it little personal references and bits of 
innocent scandal, as 

"I was at the jeweler's to help Mr. ' select 

a ring for Miss /* 

DEFINITIONS 

A subject is given to the company by the "teacher" 
and those joining in the game are each to define 
the subject in as terse a manner as possible, in epi- 
gram or verse, written on a slip of paper. The 
cards are then signed, turned in and the "teacher" 
reads the definitions. Then the company are to de- 
cide which one of the definitions has the greatest, 
merit. For instance, the word "Friendship" is 
given and the answers might run like these: 

"A feather from love's wing." 

"The greatest of boons." 

"Something akin to glue," etc. 

Or the word "Gold" might evoke: 

"That which I have' not." 

"The root of all evil." 

"What goes to the plumber," etc. 

EARTH, AIR, FIRE AND WATER 

To play this game seat yourselves in a circle, take 
a clean duster or handkerchief, and tie it in a big 
knot, so that it may easily be thrown from one player 



Games For Adults 85 



to another. One of the players throws it to another^ 
at the same time calling out either of these names: 
Earth, Air, Fire, or Water. If "Earth" is called, the 
player to whom the ball is thrown has to mention 
something that lives on the earth, as lion, cat; if 
**Air" is called, something that lives in the air; if 
"Water," something that lives in the water; but if 
"Fire" is called, the player must keep silence. Al- 
ways remember not to put birds in the water or ani- 
mals or fishes in the air; be silent when "Fire" is 
called, and answer before ten can be counted. For 
breaking any of these rules a forfeit must be paid. 



THE FARMYARD 

This game, if carried out properly, will cause great 
amusement. One of the party announces that he 
will whisper to each person the name of some animal, 
which, at a given signal, must be imitated as loudly 
as possible. Instead, however, of giving the name of 
an animal to each, he whispers to all the company, 
with the exception of one, to keep perfectly silent. 
To this one he whispers that the animal he is to 
imitate is the donkey. 

After a short time, so that all may be in readiness, 
the signal is given. Instead of all the party making 
the sounds of various animals, nothing is heard but 
a loud bray from the one unfortunate member of the 
company. 



86 Games For Aduhs 



THE FORBIDDEN LETTER 

The idea of this game is to try how many sen- 
tences can be spoken without containing a certain 
letter which has been agreed upon. Supposing, for 
instance, the letter "f" is not to be introduced, the 
first player might ask : "Is this a new game to you ?" 
The second player could answer : "Oh, no ! I played 
it years ago when quite a youngster." 

He would perhaps turn to the third player, and 
ask: "You remember it, do you not?" The third 
player might answer: "Yes, but we used to play 
it differently." This player, having used a word 
with an "f " in it, must pay a forfeit and remain out. 

The answers must be given at once, without hesi- 
tation, and the player who avoids for the greatest 
length of time using a word containing the forbid- 
den letter wins ths; game. 



THE FORBIDDEN VOWELS 

The players seat themselves and are questioned 
by the leader of the game and must answer without 
bringing in a word containing a forbidden vowel. 
Say the vowel "a" is forbidden, the leader asks — 
"Are you fond of playing the piano?" The answer 
"Yes, very much," would be correct as the words 
do not contain the letter "a." But if the answer 
were — "Yes, and I am fond of singing too," the 
speaker would have to pay a forfeit. Any vowel 



Games For Adults 87 



may be forbidden, or if the players choose to make 
the game very difficult, two vowels may be forbid- 
den. Say "a" and "e" are forbidden, and the ques- 
tion is, "Will your father be late home?'* "I do not 
know" would be a correct answer. 



FORTUNE TELLING 

The Fortune Teller must provide the person who 
is to have his or her fortune told with a piece of pa- 
per and a pencil and then proceed to say: 

1. Write "Yes" or "no." 

2. "State a gentleman's or a lady's name." (If 
a lady's fortune is to be told she must write a gen- 
tleman's name and vice versa.) 

3. "Give a number." 

4. "Length of time." 
5.. "Yes or no." 

6. "Yes or no." , 

7. "Yes or no." 
8^ "A color." 

9. "A color," 

10. "Yes or no." 

11. "Yes or no." 

12. "A shape." 

13. "A. measure." 

14. "A sum of money." 

15. "A sum of money." 

16. "A virtue." 

17. "A profession." 



88 Games For Adults 

18. "The name of a place." 

19. "A (lady's or gentleman's name." 

20. "The name of a place.'* . 

21. "A nuniber." 
22^ "Yes or no.'- 
23. "State a time." 

When these have all been written down, the Foi - 
tune Teller proceeds to read out the list of ques- 
tions he has, with the answers corresponding in num- 
ber. Below is appended the list of questions, which, 
of course, must not be shown to the person whose 
fortune is being told until he or she has written the 
answers. 

1. Have 70U a lover? 

2. What is his or her name? 

3. How old is he or she? * 

4. How long have you known him or her? ' 

5. Does he or she know you love him or her? 

6. Is your affection returned? 

7. Have you or has he proposed? 

8. What color is his or her hair? 

9. What color are his or her eyes? 

10. Is he or she handsome? 

11. Is he or she conceited? 

12. What shape is his or her nose? 

13. What size is his or her mouth? 

14. What is his or her fortune? 

15. How much will he or she allow you? 

16. What is his or her chief virtue? 

17. What is his or her profession? 



Games For Adults 89 



1 8. Where did you first meet? ~ 

19. What is your rivaFs name? 

20. Where do you intend to live? 

21. How many other proposals have you had, or 
made? 

22. Will the marriage be a happy one? - 

23. When will you be married? 



THE GAME OF CONVERSATION 

To play this game successfully two of the com- 
pany privately agree upon a word that has several 
meanings. The two then enter into a conversation, 
which is obliged to be about the word they have 
chosen, whilst the remainder of the company listen. 

When a member of the party imagines that he has 
guessed the word, he may join in the conversation, 
but if he finds he is mistaken, must immediately 
retire. 

To give an illustration : Supposing the two players 
who start the conversation decide upon the word 
box. They might talk about the people they had 
seen at the theatre and the particular part of the 
house in which they were sitting. Then they might 
say how nice it looked in a garden, and one might 
mention that it grew into big trees. Perhaps one 
of the company might imagine that he had guessed 
the word correctly and join in, when the conversation 
would be immediately changed, and the two would 
begin to converse about a huge case in which a verv 



90 Games For Adults 



great number of things were packed away. By this 
time possibly the person who joined in the conver- 
sation will leave off, completely mystified. 

If, however, the word should be correctly guessed, 
the person guessing it choses a partner, and they to- 
gether select a word, and the game begins again. 



GUILTY OR INNOCENT? 

One of the company gets himself up to represent 
ihe old man of the woods, the rest take the names of 
various animals, such as lion, tiger, leopard and 
so on. 

The players seat themselves round the room, and 
the old man standing in the centre tells them that 
some of their number have committed a crime and 
he is about to question them, in order that he may 
discover the guilty ones. He then begins — "Now, 
Mr. Lion, where have you been hunting, and what 
have you eaten today?" "I hunted in the forest and 
caught an antelope." "Then you are twice guilty 
and must pay two forfeits," says the old man; and 
the lion must pay his forfeit without being told the 
crime he has committed. The old man passes on 
to a Polar Bear. "Where did you hunt and what 
have you eaten?" he asks.— "I hunted in the water 
and had a fine fish to eat." The Polar Bear is pro- 
nounced innocent. The real game is that no animal 
may bring in the letter "o" either in their hunting 
ground or the food they eat. "Forest" and "Ante- 



Games For Adults 91 



lope" both have an "o" in them, so the lion has to 
pay two forfeits whereas "Water" and "Fish** hav- 
ing no "o** the bear was declared innocent. The 
great fun is for the old man to keep the secret of 
"guilty** or "innocent** to himself; but even if the 
other players know the secret, it is very difficult not 
to make a slip, as the answers must be given 
promptly. 

When the game is over the players must pay for 
their forfeits in any way the old man decides. 



GUESSING GROCERIES 

Into bits of muslin should be tied samples of 
groceries — tea, coffee, starch, rice, beans, spices, etc. 
The players are allowed one guess for each sample, 
depending entirely upon the sense of feeling, and 
the one guessing the largest number correctly is 
given a prize. The hostess should have the samples 
numbered in order to keep count of the guesses. 
One young lady has a lot of pretty little silk bags 
filled with these samples and uses them again and 
again, and they always bring the same amount of 
fun. 



GOSSIP 

The leader writes out a short story. It may be 
a bit of gossip, a newspaper incident or anything 
he wishes, it should however be rather excitable 



92 Games For Adults 



in character. He reads the story over, that he may 
whisper it to one of his neighbors without the aid 
of the paper. The neighbor listens attentively and 
in turn whispers it to another neighbor, and it is 
whispered from one to the other until everyone has 
heard it. The last person to whom the story was 
told is asked to relate it and then the person who 
originated the story is asked to read his written 
copy. It will be almost unbelievable how the facts 
of the story have changed in the telling. Scarcely 
ever will the story be accurate in any particular. 



HOW? WHEN? WHERE? 

One of the players goes out of the room and the 
players decide upon an object. Let us suppose that 
the word chosen is chest. The word being agreed 
upon, the other player is called in. The game is 
for this player to guess the word by asking the three 
questions "How do you like it? When do you like 
it? Where do you like it?" of each person until 
the word is guessed. For instance, one player is 
asked : 

"How do you like it?" 

"Full of gold coins." 

"When do you like it?" 

"When I am traveling." 

"Where do you like it?" 

"In a safe place where robbers cannot find it." 



Games For Adults 93 



And so the game goes on until the guesser knows 
the word. If he fails to guess it after asking every 
one of the players the three questions, "How do you 
like it? When do you like it? Where do you like 
it?'* he must pay a forfeit. The guesser next time 
is the person who, in making his answer gave away 
the word decided upon. 



"I LOVE MY LOVE WITH AN A" 

To play this game it is best for the players to ar- 
range themselves in a half-circle round the room. 
Then one begins: "I love my love with an *A,' be- 
cause she is affectionate ; I hate her with an *A,' be- 
cause she is artful. Her name is Alice, she comes 
from Aberdeen, and I gave her an apricot." The 
next player says : "I love my love with a *B,' because 
she is bonnie ; I hate her with a *B,* because she is 
boastful. Her name is Bertha, she comes from 
Bath, and I gave her a book." The next player 
takes "C," and the next "D," and so on through all 
the letters of the alphabet. 



IT 

One of the players is asked to go outside whilst 
the company think of some person in the room, and 
on his return he has to guess of whom the company 
has thought. 



94 Games For Adults 



The players then arrange themselves in a circle, 
and agree each to think of his or her right-hand 
neighbor; it is best to have a girl and boy alternately, 
as this adds much to the amusement. 

The one outside is then called in, and commences 
to ask questions. Before replying, the player asked 
must be careful to notice his or her right-hand neigh- 
bor, and then give a correct reply. For instance, 
supposing the first question to be: "Is the person 
thought of a boy or a girl?" the answer would pos- 
sibly be "A boy"; the next person would then be 
asked the color of the complexion, the next one the 
color of the hair, if long or short, etc., to which ques- 
tions the answers would, of course, be given accord- 
ing to the right-hand neighbor. 

Nearly all the answers will contradict the previous 
ones, and something like this may be the result : "A 
boy," "very dark complexion," long yellow hair," 
"wearing a black Eton jacket," "with a dark green 
dress," "five feet high," "about six years old," etc. 
When the player guessing gives the game up, the 
joke is explained to him. 



"JACK'S ALIVE" 

A match or small piece of wood is lighted and 
when well afire blown out. It is then passed from 
one player to another with the words, "Jack's alive," 
and may be handed about so long as a live spark 
remains. The trick is to dispose of Jack while he 



Games For Adults 95 



is still alive but no player needs to take him unless 
the words, "Jack's alive" are quoted. Jack may not 
be handed along after he is dead but the player in 
whose hands he dies must pay a forfeit or have a 
mustache drawn on his face with the end of the 
burned stick. 



THE MENAGERIE 

To each member of the company is given the 
name of a bird or animal by the "Keeper" who is 
to relate a story of adventure in which the names 
of the birds and animals are frequently mentioned. 
At the mention of the word the member of the 
company bearing that name is to imitate the noise 
made by the creature named. Failing to do so 
promptly or imitating the noise of a creature assign- 
ed to some one else he or she is required to pay a 
forfeit. The "keeper" may demand the delinquent 
player's seat instead of a forfeit and assume his 
menagerie name while the unseated one becomes 
the "keeper" and must continue the story. 



^ THE MINISTER'S CAT 

This game is very similar to that of "I love my 
love." Each of the players must describe the min- 
ister's cat, going right through the alphabet to do 
so. "The minister's cat is an angry cat," says one; 



96 Games For Adults 



**an anxious cat," says another; and so on until 
everyone has used an adjective begining with "A." 
Then they take the "B's." "The minister's cat is a 
big cat," and so on. 

The leader of the game must see that no one 
hesitates for a word. If any one should take longer 
than half a minute he must pay a forfeit. 



MAGIC WRITING 

In this game a confederate is necessary. The 
player states to the company, after a few remarks 
on ancient sign-language, that he is able to read 
signs made with a stick on the floor, and agrees to 
leave the room whilst the company decide upon some 
word or sentence. 

The game is played as follows: — It is agreed by 
the player and his confederate that one tap on the 
floor shall represent A, two taps E, three taps I, four 
taps O, and five taps U, and that the first letter of 
each remark the confederate makes shall be one of 
the consonants of the word or sentence decided upon 
by the company. The consonants must be taken in 
order. On the player's return, supposing the word 
chosen to be "March," his confederate would com- 
mence : — "Many people think this game a deception" 
(initial letter M). One tap on the floor (A). "Really 
it is very simple" (initial letter R) . "Coming to the 
end soon (initial letter C) . "Hope it has been quite 
clear" (initial letter H). 



Games For Adults 97 



A few more signs are made so as not to finish too 
abruptly, and the player then states the word to be 
"March." If carefully conducted, this game will in- 
terest the audience for a considerable time. 



THE "MIMIC" CLUB 

This is a game which causes much amusement to 
a company of children, and even grown-ups may 
join in. 

All the players, with the exception of two, leave 
the room. One of the outside party is then called 
in, and told that a new club has been formed and his 
name enrolled, but that he cannot be formally ad- 
mitted unless he can guess the name of the club 
from the movements of the two members who have 
remained in the room. 

The candidate for admission is then offered a chair, 
and everything said and every movement made is 
mimicked by the other two. 

Sometimes the new member guesses at once, but 
when unable to do this it is very funny to watch the 
effect that the cop3nng of his every movement has 
upon him, especially when six or seven have been 
admitted. 

When the name of the club has been guessed an- 
other candidate is invited in and the same perform- 
ance takes place. 



s/ 



98 Games For Adults 



MY LADY'S TOILET 

The leader gives to each of the party the name of 
some article used by a lady — a glove, fan, handker- 
chief, slippers, veil, belt, ribbon, brooch, back comb, 
collar, hairpins, cloak, etc. The players to whom the 
names of the articles have been given arrange them- 
selves in a circle ; one stands in the center and spins 
a plate. An ordinary tin pie plate may be used. 
As he spins the plate he says, "My lady is going to 

the theatre and needs her ," naming one of 

the articles assigned to the players. At the mention 
of this article, the person to whom it has been given 
comes forward and catches the plate while it is still 
spinning. If he fails to catch the plate before it 
falls to the floor he must pay a forfeit. He now 
takes his turn with the plate, spinning it and using 
the name of another of the articles. 



PARTNERS 

The players divide themselves into ladies and 
gentlemen, if the ladies predominate they must per- 
sonate gentlemen, and vice versa. The gentlemen 
then proceed to choose lady partners. One of the 
players next undertakes to question the couples. The 
fun consists of the questions being put to the lady 
and the gentleman answering for her. "Do you like 



Games For Adults 99 



your partner?" the lady is asked, and the gentle- 
man may reply, "Yes, I adore him." Whatever the 
reply the lady is forbidden to deny it ; if she does, or 
if she answers for herself, she must pay a forfeit. 
But retaliation comes, for when all the ladies have 
been questioned the gentlemen's turn arrives, and 
the ladies answer for their partners. "What is your 
favorite occupation?" the question may be, and the 
lady may answer "Dressing dolls," or "Making mud 
pies," or anything ridiculous that occurs to her. 



PROVERBS 

"Proverbs" is a game that will always remain 
popular. One of the players is sent out of the room, 
and during his absence the others decide upon a 
well-known proverb which he must, by asking ques- 
tions, guess on his return. The answers to the 
questions must each contain one word of the prov- 
verb. For instance, suppose the players fix on the 
proverb "It's never too late to mend," the question 
asked, and answers given, will perhaps be similar 
to the following; — 

Questioner (to first player). — "Is the proverb one 
that you would guess easily?" 

Answer.— "As I'm not in your place it's impossi- 
ble for me to say." ""'"■ 

Questioner (to second player).— "Am I mistaken, 
or did I see you at the theatre last night?" 



100 Games For Adults 



Answer. — "I never go to theatres, so you must 
have made a mistake." 

Questioner (to second player). — "Do you consider 
this game amusing, or the reverse?" 

Answer. — "At the present moment it's really too 
amusing for me to keep my countenance." 

Questioner (to fourth player). — "How was it I 
didn't see you at dinner, Mr. Francis?" 

Answer. — "I was detained at the office, so arrived 
late." 

Questioner (to fifth player). — "Were you skat- 
ing this afternoon. Miss Philips?" 

Answer. — "No, I meant to have gone, but felt too 
tired after last night's festivities." 

Questioner (to sixth player). — "You're looking 
terribly bored. Miss Jones, would you rather take 
my place?" 

Answer. — "I would willingly; but my doing so 
wouldn't mend matters." 

If the interrogator cannot discover the proverb 
after the first round of questions and answers, he 
must go round again, and again. The player whose 
answer reveals to him the proverb, must go outside 
in his place. 

The following proverbs are all excellent for this 
game ; — 

"A new broom sweeps clean." 

"A stitch in time saves nine." 

"Make hay while the sun shines." 

"Waste not, want not." 



Games For Adults 101 



"Never put off till to-morrow what you can do 
to-day." 

"Fine feathers make fine birds." 

"Marry in haste, repent in leisure.'* 

"The empty vessel makes the greatest sound." 

"Make the best of a bad bargain." 

"Out of sight, out of mind." 

"Safe bind, safe find." 

"Half a loaf is better than no bread." 

"A rolling stone gathers no moss." 

"One good turn deserves another." 

"Look before you leap." 

"Faint heart never won fair lady." 

"A friend in need, is a friend indeed." 

"A bad workman quarrels with his tools." 

"A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush." 

"A cat may look at a king." 

"Aching teeth are ill tenants." 

"A creaking door hangs long on the hinges." 

"A drowning man will catch at a straw." 

"After dinner sit a while, after supper walk a 
mile." 



QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 



4 



Each player is furnished with a pencil and two 
slips of paper. On the first slip a question must be 
written. The papers are then collected and put into 
a bag or basket. 

Then the players write an answer on their second 



102 Games For Adults 



slip. These are put into a different bag, and the two 
bags are then well shaken and handed round to the 
company. 

Everyone draws a question and an answer, and 
must then read the two out to the company. 

The result is sometimes very comical; for in- 
stance :■ — 

Question: "Do you like roses?" 

A.nswer : "Yes, with mustard." 

Question: "Where are you going to this summer?" 

Answer : "I am very much afraid of them." 

Question: "Do you like beef?" 

Answer: "Yes, without thorns." 

Question: "Do you like spiders?" 

Answer: "To Switzerland." 



RUTH AND JACOB 

One player is blindfolded, the rest dance in a circle 
around him till he points at one of them. This per- 
son then enters the ring, and when the blindman 
calls out, "Ruth," answers, "Jacob," and moves about 
within the circle so as to avoid being caught by 
the blindman and continues to answer, "Jacob," as 
often as the blindman calls out, "Ruth." This con- 
tinues until "Ruth" is caught. "Jacob" must then 
guess who it is he has caught ; if he guesses correctly, 
"Ruth" takes his place, and the game goes on ; if he 
guesses wrongly, he continues to be "Jacob." 



Games For Adults 103 



RHYMES 

A number of slips of paper are passed among the 
players and each one is asked to write upon one of 
the papers, two T/ords which will rhyme. These 
papers are collected and in turn read aloud, the 
players then writing short stanzas employing the 
rhyming words. It is amusing to note in what very 
different ways the same set of words is treated by 
the various players. The usual forfeits may be 
claimed if the players fail to write the rhyme in a 
given time. 



SKETCHES 

Each player is asked to draw a haphazard line on 
a piece of paper. The line may be anything he 
wishes and does not need to suggest or resemble 
any object. The papers are collected and again 
distributed. Any player getting his own drawing 
may exchange with any one he wishes. Each 
player must draw the picture of some object, using 
in its composition, the original haphazard line. 



TRAVELER'S ALPHABET 

The players sit in a row and the first begins by 
saying, "I am going on a journey to Athens," or any 
place beginning with A. The one sitting next asks, 
"What will you do there?" The verbs, adjectives. 



104 Games For Adults 



and nouns used in the reply must all begin with A ; 
as "Amuse Ailing Authors with Anecdotes." If the 
player answers correctly, it is the next player's turn ; 
he says perhaps : "I am going to Bradford." "What 
to do there?" "To Bring Back Bread and Butter." 
A third says: "I am going to Constantinople." 
"What to do there?" "To Carry Contented Cats." 
Any one who makes a mistake must pay a forfeit. 



THOUGHT READING 

This is a very good game, which always causes 
considerable amusement, and if skilfully carried out 
will very successfully mystify the whole company. 

It is necessary that the player who is to take the 
part of thought-reading should have a confederate, 
and the game is then played as follows. 

The thought-reader, having arranged that the 
confederate should write a certain word, commences 
by asking four members of the company to write 
each a word upon a piece of paper, fold it up in such 
a manner that it cannot be seen, and then to pass it 
on to him. The confederate, of course, volunteers to 
make one of the four and writes the word previously 
agreed upon, which is, we will suppose, "Hastings." 

The thought-reader places the slips of paper be- 
tween his fingers, taking care to put the paper of his 
confederate between the third and little finger; he 
then takes the folded paper from between his thumb 
and first finger and rubs it, folded as it is, over his 



Games For Adults 105 



forehead, at each rub mentioning a letter, as H. rub, 
A rub, S.T.I.N.G.S., after which he calls out that 
some lady or gentleman has written "Hastings." "I 
did," replies the confederate. 

The thought-reader then opens the paper, looks 
at it, and slips it into his pocket; he has, iiowever, 
looked at one of the other papers. -^" 

Consequently he is now in a position to spell an- 
other word, which he proceeds to do in the same 
manner, and thus the game goes on until all the 
papers have been read. 



- THE LITTLE DUTCH BAND 

The players sit or stand around the room in a 
circle. The leader assigns to each some imaginary 
musical instrument — horn, fife, drum, trombone, 
violin, harp, flute, banjo, etc. Some well known, 
but lively air is given out and the band begins to 
play, each player imitating as nearly as possible the 
instrument he has been assigned. All goes well 
until the leader suddenly drops his instrument and 
begins playing on that of another of the band. At 
this the player to whom that particular instrument 
has been given must change his attitude and imi- 
tate the instrument the leader has dropped. Again 
the playing goes on until the leader drops this instru- 
ment and takes up that of another player, and this 
player takes up the leader's instrument. Close 
watch must be kept of the leader that the players 



106 Games For Adults 



may detect the instant he takes up a new instrument. 
The player failing to change immediately must pay 
a forfeit. Much fun may be had from this game. 
It may be carried on with a little practice without 
any perceptible break in the music and with a few 
talented players it is even harmonious. 



"WHAT'S MY THOUGHT LIKE?" 

The players sit in a circle and one of them asks 
the others: "What's my thought like?" One player 
may say : "A monkey" ; the second : "A candle" ; the 
third: "A pin"; and so on. When all the company 
have compared the thought to some object, the first 
player tells them the thought — perhaps it is "the 
Cat" — and then asks each, in turn, why it is like the 
object he compared it to. 

"Why is my cat like a monkey?" is asked. The 
other player might answer: "Because it is full of 
tricks." "Why is my cat like a candle?" "Because 
its eyes glow like a candle in the dark." "Why is 
my cat like a pin?" "Because its claws scratch like 
a pin." 

Any one who is unable to explain why the thought 
resembles the object he mentioned must pay a for- 
feit. 



Forfeits 

In going through this book of games the reader 
will find that the players for various reasons are 
penalized or required to pay a forfeit. When a 
player is so fined he must immediately surrender 
some pocketpiece or personal belonging as a pawn 
or security which may later be redeemed when 
"Blind Justice" passes the real sentence. 

The players usually select some ready! witted 
person to assume the part of Justice, another acts 
as Crier or Collector. Justice is blindfolded and the 
Crier holds the article over his head saying : "Heavy, 
heavy hangs over thy head." Justice asks: "Fine 
or Superfine?" If it be an article belonging to a 
gentleman the Crier answers "Fine;" if it belongs 
to a lady he answers, "Superfine," and asks, "What 
shall the owner do to redeem his (or her) property?" 
and Blind Justice renders the sentence. 

If the proper person has been chosen for Justice 
a great deal of fun may be caused by the impromptu 
imposition of ridiculous penalties. 

Or the persons making up the party may in turn 
take the part of Justice, each imposing a penalty. 
Some of the most familiar penalties are : 

Put one hand where the other cannot touch it — 
Grasp the elbow. 

Take the Journey to Rome. — The culprit is re- 
quired to go to each person and say that he or she 
is going on a journey to Rome and ask whether they 
have anything to send to the Pope. The players 
load him up with various articles, the more cumber- 

107 



108 Forfeits 



some the better, which he must carry until every 
person has been visited. Then he must walk out 
of the room and back, distributing the articles to 
their proper places. 

Spell Constantinople. — ^When the offender begins 
to spell and reaches C-o-n-s-t-a-n-t-ir, the players 
cry "no" (the next letters in the word being n-o). 
Each time the culprit gets to C-o-n-s-t-a-n-t-i-, the 
players cry "no," and unless he knows the trick he 
will begin the spelling again and again. 

Kiss Your own Shadow. — If the culprit is not 
familiar with this forfeit he will kiss his own shadow 
on the wall, but realizes how foolish "he was when 
he sees some other victim place himself between 
the light and a lady and kiss his shadow which then 
falls on the lady. 

Sit Upon the Fire. — ^This forfeit will puzzle the 
culprit, but may be easily accomplished by writing 
the word "fire" on a slip of paper and sitting upon 
it. 

Ask a Question Which cannot be Answered in 
the Negative. — "What do the letters y-e-s- spell? 

Kiss a Book Inside and Outside Without Opening 
the Book. — This apparently impossible feat may be 
adtomplished by kissing the book inside the room 
and then carrying it outside of the room and kissing 
it there. 

Take a Person up Stairs and Bring him Down on 
a Feather. — This is another apparently impossible 
feat but of course there is "down on a feather." 



I 



Forfeits 109 



Act Living Statue. — The victim must stand upon 
a chair and is posed by the players in succession ac- 
cording to their various ideas of Grecian statuary, 
giving the victim various articles to hold in his 
hand such as pokers, shovels, etc. 

Leave the Room with two Legs and Come Back 
with Six. — This sentence can be fulfilled by going 
out of the room and carrying a chair into the room 
when you come back. 

Perform^ the Egotist.^The culprit is required to 
drink his own health and make some flowery speech 
concerning himself. If his speech is not egotistic 
enough the players may again and again demand 
a more flattering one. 

Place three Chairs in a Row, Take off Your 
Shoes and Jump Over them. — It is very funny to 
hear the culprit plead that he could not possibly 
jump over the three chairs when the sentence means 
to jump over his shoes — "take off your shoes and 
jump over them." 

The Three Salutes. — The victim is required to 
"Kneel to the prettiest; bow to the wittiest and 
kiss the one he loves the best." The easiest way 
to pay this forfeit is to kneel to the plainest, bow to 
the dullest and kiss the one for whom he cares the 
least. 

Kiss the Lady you Love the best without letting 
any one know. — This is performed by the condenmed 
kissing several ladies, or perhaps every lady in the 
room. 



110 Forfeits 



Imitate a Donkey. — The culprit must bray like 
one. 

Play the Shoemaker. — The culprit must take off 
his shoe and pretend to drive pegs into it. 

Shake a Coin off the Head. — This may be made 
^ productive of much amusement. The leader, hav- 
ing wetted a coin, presses it firmly for several sec- 
onds against the forehead of the victim. When he 
withdraws his thumb he secretly brings away the 
coin, but the victim invariably believes that he 
can still feel it sticking to his forehead, and his head- 
shakings and facial contortions to get rid of his 
imaginary burden are ludicrous. It is understood 
at the time the sentence is pronounced that he must 
shake the coin off and must not touch it with his 
hands. 

The Three Questions. — The victim is required to 
leave the room. Three questions are agreed upon in 
"^ his absence, and he is requested to say "yes" or 
"no" to each as they are asked him, not knowing, 
of course, what the questions are, the result is usu- 
ally embarrassing, he finds he has made some igno- 
minious admission, has declined something he would 
be very glad to have or accepted something he 
would much rather do without. 
^ Go to Market. — The culprit is ordered to go to 
market with some one of the opposite sex. They 
stand about eight feet apart, facing each other, and 
the culprit asks his companion if she likes apples 
(or any article he may choose) if the answer is 



Forfeits 111 

"yes," she takes a step forward, if "no" a step back- 
ward. If something is liked very much or disliked 
very much a long step is taken. Then she asks 
him a question which is answered by stepping for- 
ward or backward and so on until they meet when 
a kiss is usually claimed and taken. 

Place a Straw or Small Article on the Ground in 
Such a Manner that No one Present can Jump Over 
It. — This is done by placing the article against 
the wall. 

Bite an Inch OfiF the Poker. — A poker is held about 
an inch from the face, making a bite— of course, 
the person does not bite the poker but "an inch 
off the poker." 

Blow a Candle Out Blindfold. — The person paying 
the forfeit is shown the exact position of the candle 
and then blindfolded, and having been turned about 
once or twice is requested to blow it out. The 
cautious manner in which the person will go and 
endeavor to blow out the clock on the mantle piece 
or an old gentleman's bald head, while the candle 
is serenely burning a few feet away must be seen 
to be appreciated. 

The German Band. — This is a joint forfeit for 
three or four persons, each of whom is assigned some 
imaginary instrument and required to personate a 
performer in a German band, imitating not only the 
action of the players but the sound of the instru- 
ment as well. 



GAMES FOR 
SPECIAL OCCASIONS 



New Year's Day 



Resolved: — To do my best today — 
Tomorrow is far away. 

New Year's day calling and receiving — the cus- 
tom of our Grandmother's time — -is in vogue again. 

If it is desirable to announce that one wishes to 
receive callers on that day, the visiting card of the 
party or parties receiving with the v/ords — "At 
Home January the first, ig— , from — to^ — P. M.," 
and the address written upon it, may be sent to one's 
friends. 

Or upon the back of a visiting card may be writ- 
ten, "Let me (or us) wish you a Happy New Year 
on January the first. At Home from — to — P. M. 
Address ." 

Simple refreshments should be served, hot tea, 
coffee or chocolate with sweet or salted wafers — 
fruit punch with sweet wafers — bouillon in cups with 
salted crackers. 

Two, three or all of these beverages with assorted 
wafers, etc., could be served from the dining room 
table, giving an opportunity to cater to the indi- 
vidual taste of one's guests. 

Have a center piece of three large white tissue 
paper bells tied together with white ribbon. Place 
them on their side with long ribbon streamers com- 

115 



116 New Year's Bay- 

ing from underneath each one and in the center of 
the three place another white bell, open side up, 
holding an infant doll to represent the new year. 
Intertwine a few sprays of asparagus fern or smilax. 

It is not wise to serve intoxicants to New Year's 
callers thus adding a drop to the bucket that will 
overflow eventually with regret and remorse. 

New Year's Day Party Invitations may be in 
hour glass form cut from heavy white paper, or bell 
shape. 

Decorations of evergreen festoons and wreaths 
are appropriate, also the tissue paper bells ajid 
festoons and holly and mistletoe. 

A pretty center piece for the table is a large pile 
of snow balls made of cotton and sprinkled with 
diamond dust, each one containing a small favor 
and having a ribbon attached which runs to each 
plate and at a given time the guests may each pull 
a ribbon and receive a prize. 

Refreshments may be ice cream in the form of 
snow balls, small cakes with the abbreviated names 
of the months frosted on, assorted fancy cakes and 
bonbons. 

The following games are suggested. 



GOOD RESOLUTIONS 

Each person is given a paper and pencil and re- 
quested to write at the top of the page the word 
"Resolved," followed by expressions of amendment 



New Year's Day 117 



that he or she is conscious of needing. One such 
attempt at self examination resulted in the follow- 
ing resolves: 

"I will be as honest as the times will permit." 

"I will be good to all." 

"I will tell no more lies." 

"My best self shall rule." 

"I will try to love everybody." 

These are read aloud and the authorship guessed. 
All the correct guesses at the authorship are counted, 
for the prize of a china mug with "For a Good Girl" 
or "For a Good Boy" in letters upon it. 



TESTING FATES 

Upon the floor are twelve candles in a row, all 
alight and each of a different color. Each candle 
stands for a month in the year. The white one for 
January, blue for February, pale green for March, 
bright green for April, violet for May, light pink 
for June, dark pink for July, yellow for August, 
lilac for September, crimson for October, orange 
for November, scarlet for December. Each child in 
turn is invited to jump over the candles, and if the 
feat be accomplished without extinguishing a single 
candle, prosperity and happiness are in store 
through all the months of the coming year; but if 
one is put out, ill-luck threatens in the month whose 
shining is thus eclipsed; while to knock one over, 
predicts dire calamity. 



118 New Year's Day 

SPIN THE PLATE 

The players seat themselves in a circle except one 
who gives all a name pertaining to the calendar and 
chooses a name for himself. If there are twelve or 
less players, each take the name of a month. If 
more than a dozen play name them January first, 
January second, etc. 

The player standing in the center of the circle, 
with a tin plate, places it upon its edge and spins 
it, at the same time calling out the name of a month 
or day of the month which has been given to one of 
the players. 

The person named must jump up and catch the 
plate before it stops spinning or he must pay a for- 
feit. It is then his turn to spin the plate and call 
some one else into the center. 



A NEW YEAR'S EVE ENTERTAINMENT 

Look through your old newspapers and magazines 
and cut out all the pictures of the famous men and 
women of the century you find — everybody, from 
Decatur to Li Hung Chang, from Daniel Boone to 
Kruger, from Queen Hortense to Helen Gould, from 
Coxey to Kipling. Clip the names off, and make 
frames for them of pasteboard and gilt paper. 

Write the invitations on the backs of your cards : 
"You are invited to attend the opening of the Nine- 



New Year's Day 119 

teenth Century Portrait Gallery, on New Year's 
Eve," — fixing the hours to suit yourself. 

Then clear your drawing-room of all its furniture 
and pictures, covering the walls with the pictures 
you have framed. In the middle of the floor make 
a pedestal of two store boxes covered with a sheet, 
and on it stand a girl dressed as the goddess of 
Fame — draped in a sheet, her hair knotted in Gre- 
cian style, her bare arms hanging straight down, 
with a laurel wreath in one hand, and in the other a 
little package neatly tied. Light the room with four 
heavily shaded piano lamps, one in each corner. 

Outside the drawn portieres seat another girl 
dressed as Time, with white hair and beard and 
hour-glass and scythe. And on the floor before her 
put a basket woven of evergreens, and filled with 
little tablets, each marked with all the numbers that 
are stuck in the corners of the pictures. Four little 
girls of different sizes as the Seasons — Spring with 
a wreath of artificial jonquils. Summer with roses, 
Autumn with chrysanthemums. Winter with holly 
— stand on the stairs to receive. 

As the guests arrive they are led up to Time, who 
bids them enter his temple of Fame, and write down 
on the tablets he gives them, the names of those they 
recognize. 

They enter and begin their inspection of the pic- 
tures, putting down such as they know — or think 
they know; and incidentally making many mistakes. 
And when they have finished the round of the room. 



120 New Year's Day 

they sign their tablets, drop them into Time's bas- 
ket, and are led away by a Season to the supper 
room. 

When all the guests have made the tour of in- 
spection, and the prize has been adjudged, the win- 
ner is escorted back to the "gallery" by the whole 
company, to receive from the hands of the Goddess 
the laurel wreath and its little golden duplicate that 
the package contains. 



SUGGESTIONS FOR NEW YEAR PARTIES 

A novel way of selecting partners for a New Year's 
party is to paint upon water color paper such ob- 
jects as may illustrate the different months of the 
year. A candle for January, to represent Twelfth 
Night, or "The Feast of Candles." February, a 
heart for St. Valentine. March, the shamrock, as 
complimentary to St. Patrick. For April, an um- 
brella, the sign of rain. May, the month for mov- 
ing, is represented by a sign upon which are the 
words, "House to Let." June, of course, is the 
month of roses, while a fire-cracker is always sym- 
bolical of July. A fan for the hot month of August, 
and a pile of school books for the first days of 
September. Hallowe'en, the gala day of October, 
has a Jack-o'lantern, while the year closes with a 
turkey for Thanksgiving and a stocking for Christ- 
mas. ' 



New Year's Day 121 



Cut these out and fasten a loop of ribbon to each 
one, except the fire-cracker, where a bit of cord will 
answer both for the fuse and the loop by which to 
hang it. These are for the ladies, while the men 
will receive plain cards upon each one of which is 
written a month of the year. If there be more than 
twenty-four guests there are many other available 
days, as Arbor Day, represented by a tree ; a hatchet 
for Washington's Birthday; a flag for Flag Day; a 
saw, trowel or spade for Labor Day, and a ballot 
box for Election Day. If it be necessary to use 
these extra days the plain cards must be numbered 
to designate the different days of the same month. 
For instance, the card that corresponds with St. 
Valentine's Day will be February No. i, while the 
bearer of February No. 2 will be the partner for 
the holder of the Washington's birthday illustra- 
tion. 

The same idea may be carried out for dinner 
favors, painting the various objects on cards about 
four by six inches in size, and pasting on one corner 
a small calendar. When the guests arrive they will 
be given the plain slips upon which are written the 
months of the year, and must then find at the table 
the calendars that correspond with their cards. 



Lincoln's Birthday 

At dinners, parties and entertainments given on 
February 12th, the anniversary of the birth of our 
immortal Lincoln, one aim of the host or hostess 
should be to imbue the eiff air with the spirit of pa- 
triotism; so use the good old red, white and blue 
for the color scheme in decorating. Busts and pic- 
tures of Lincoln, national emblems, such as the flag, 
shield, American Eagle, etc., and military accouter- 
ments would make appropriate decorations. 

Dinner favors should be candy boxes representing 
either miniature log cabins or a log of wood with a 
tiny paper or metal ax imbedded in it; small busts 
of Lincoln would make ideal favors for such an 
occasion. Place cards may have on the reverse side 
a quotation from Lincoln which the guests may read 
in turn to furnish food for thought and conversation. 
The following sayings of Lincoln are suggested : — 

"I do not think much of a man who is not wiser to- 
day than he was yesterday." 

"Gold is good in its place, but living, brave, and 
patriotic men are better than gold." 

"Let none falter who thinks he is right." 

"My politics are short and sweet like an old wom- 
an's dance." 

"I have never studied the art of paying compli- 
ments to women; but I must say that if all that has 



Lincoln's Birthday 123 

been said by orators and poets since the creation of 
the world in praise of women, were applied to the 
women of America, it would not do them justice for 
their conduct during the war." 

"You may fool all the people some of the time, and 
some of the people all of the time; but you cannot 
fool all of the people all of the time." 

"The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to 
the stormy present." 

"The way for a young man to rise is to improve 
himself every way he can, never suspecting that any- 
body wishes to injure him." 

"The severest justice may not always be the best 
policy." 

"I always plucked a thorn and planted a rose when 
in my power." 

"Let not him who is houseless pull down the house 
of another." 

"Government of the people, by the people, for the 
people shall not perish from the earth." 



MILITARY EUCHRE. 

A most enjoyable afternoon or evening may be 
furnished one's friends by giving a military euchre 
party, as suggested for Washington's Birthday. 



124 



Lincoln's Birthday 



GUESSING CONTEST. 

Supply pencils and papers to the guests having the 
following mixed words written upon them : — 



1. Olinnlc 

2. Averlys 

3. Sidetenpr 

4. Lair-sliptter 

5. Stohen-Bea 



6. Yawrel 

7. Roft-Termus 

8. Pecanlurib 

9. Caniream 
10. Yenktuck 



Inform the guests that these words pertain to the 
history of Lincoln. An appropriate prize may be 
given to the one having the correct answers, or hav- 
ing the most correct answers in a limited time. The 
correct words are : — 



1. Lincoln 

2. Slavery 

3. President 

4. Rail-splitter 

5. Honest Abe 



6. Lawyer 

7. Fort Sumter 

8. Republican 

9. American 
10. Kentucky 



Lincoln's Birthday 125 

SPLITTING RAILS. 

Guests are to be supplied with pencils and papers 
containing the following letters: — 

1. Loadailrrfliar 

2. Aliredalrig. 

3. Ginlatirlairgruad 

4. Wilrayalingir 

5. Letairrlailerry 

Which are the rails to be split or divided into ten 
words, each rail containing Lwo words which con- 
tain the word "rail" with other letters. The person 
splitting the most rails in a given time (having the 
most correct words) should be awarded a suitable 
prize. The split rails are:— 

1. Railroad, frail 

2. Derail, grail 

3. Trailing, railguard 

4. Railway, railing 

5. Trailer, raillery. 



126 Lincoln's Birthday 



BREAKING THE CHAIN. 

Several children are chosen as slaves and stand in 
the center of the room. The other children stand in 
a circle about them, forming a chain by linking 
each arm into the arm of a child on either side and 
clasping his own hands in front of him. The chain 
of children may circle around or stand in one place 
while the slaves try to break the chain and gain their 
freedom. 



LOG CABIN. 

The tiny tots would enjoy building a log cabin of 
tooth-picks by placing upon the table two wooden 
tooth-picks about two inches apart in a horizontal 
line, then laying two tooth-picks across them in a 
vertical position. Place two more directly above 
the first ones, then two above the second ones and 
so on as high as the children can build. 



St. Valentine's Day 

Invitations for this party are written on red pa- 
per hearts. The decorations also are red paper 
hearts strung from the corners of the rooms to the 
chandeliers, between arches, draped across windows^ 
etc., etc. 

For refreshments, cakes and ices may be heart 
shape, also tiny heart shape sandwiches and candy 
hearts with mottoes on them. 

For a center piece a wax cupid with bow and 
arrow in the midst of flowers and foliage, with 
various sized red paper hearts scattered around. 

A large heart shaped bag with the words, "There 
is something in my heart for you," printed on it, 
contains a valentine or a favor for each guest. The 
young host or hostess holds the bag while the guests 
march along and each one in turn reaches into the 
bag for a prize. 

The following games are appropriate: — 



ST. VALENTINE'S POST OFFICE 

The players sit in a circle around the room except 
one who is selected for postman, blind folded and 
placed in the center of the room. Some grown per- 
son, who acts as Postmaster General giving each 

127 



128 St. Valentine*s Day 



child the name of a city qr town and standing in a 
position to see the players, begins the game by 
saying, "I have sent a valentine from Chicago to 
New York (or the names of any of the cities or 
towns given the children.)" The children represent- 
ing these cities change places quickly, the postman 
trying to catch them or to sit in one of the empty 
chairs. If he is successful in either attempt the child 
who is caught or whose chair he has taken becomes 
postman, while the retiring postmem receives a 
small valentine as his reward. A child who remains 
seated when his name is called must take the place 
of the postman. 



CUPID IS COMING 

The players seat themselves round the room, and 
one having announced "Cupid is coming," another 
questions, "How is he coming?" Whereupon every- 
one must in turn say "Cupid is coming amblingly" 
or "amiably," or use some other adverb beginning 
with "A." When every member of the company has 
mentioned an adverb, the game goes on by using 
adverbs beginning with "B," then "C," and so on 
until all the letters are used up, or the company pre- 
fers to change the game. Anyone failing to supply 
an adverb must pay a forfeit. 



St. Valentine's Day 129 

HEART HUNT 

Candy or paper hearts are hidden in nooks and 
corners, behind brie a brae, curtains, etc. Heart 
shaped paper baskets, boxes or envelopes are given 
to each hunter, to put the hearts in. The one find- 
ing the greatest number of hearts receives a heart 
shaped prize, such as a box of bonbons, pin tray or 
cushion, photo frame, blotter, pen wiper, needle 
book, trinket box, etc. etc. 



CUPID'S DART 

A large white heart-shaped target having a small 
red heart for the bulFs eye, a bow and cupid's dart 
are necessary for this game. Each person in turn 
stands a certain distance from the target and shoots 
at the red heart. A satin heart with the motto, 
"Cupid's dart has pierced my heart" may be 
awarded the person making the best shot. 



A HEART GUESSING CONTEST 

The following sentences are written on heart 
shaped cards and passed with pencils to the guests 



130 St. Valentine's Day 

who are told to supply the missing word with a word 
whose first five letters spell heart. 

1. Cupid's symbol — . i. Hearts 

2. Cupid greets you — . 2. Heartily 

3. Sitting on the — . 3. Hearth 

4. He is never — . 4. Heartless 

5. Sometimes he is — . 5. Heart-sick 

6. If he has caused a — . 6. Heartache 

7. If he were ill with — . 7. Heart-burn 

8. It would be—. 8. Heart-rending 

9. His favorite flower 9. Heart's-ease 

is — . 

10. Thoughts of love to 10. Heart-strings 
touch the — . 

The first person who guesses correctly receives 
an appropriate heart shaped prize. 



BROKEN HEARTS 

Place two red paper hearts which have been cut 
into several irregular pieces into an envelope and 
distribute to each gentleman guest, who selects a 
lady for a partner and at a signal they begin putting 



St. Valentine's Day 131 

the pieces together to form the heart. The couple 
first getting the pieces together in perfect order, 
forming two hearts, wins the contest and each re- 
ceives a prize. 

TWO HEARTS THAT BEAT AS ONE 

Fasten a large white handkerchief on the wall 
or door. Paste or sew a small red paper heart in the 
center of it. 

Let each person in turn be blind-folded and try 
to pin a heart of corresponding size over the heart 
on the handkerchief. The one accomplishing the 
feat or coming the nearest to it receives a valentine 
or appropriate prize. 



Washington's Birthday 

To give a patriotic air to the surroundings should 
be the aim of the hostess in giving a party or enter- 
taining on Washington's Birthday. 

Use the American flag, various sizes, for draping 
and decorating pictures, mantels, door-ways, win- 
dows etc., and red white and blue bunting hung 
from the chandeliers to the corners of the room, 
over archways, twined around the banister of stair- 
ways, etc., etc. 

Red, white and blue paper garlands, paper hatch- 
ets and clusters or branches of artificial cherries are 
attractive; and pictures and busts of Washington 
draped with flags or bunting would be very effective. 

A military Euchre Party would be very appropri- 
ate for this occasion. Invitations written on a card 
with the American flag painted or printed on may 
be worded as follows : 



You are .respectfully requested to enlist in a 

Military Skirmish 
On Friday Evening February twenty-second 
At the Barrack, seven forty-six First Street. 
Assembly call By order of 

Eight o'clock Mrs. John Smith 

sharp General pro-tem. 



132 



Washington's Birthday 133 

Greet the guests with a military salute, which 
they should, of course, return. 

Over each table suspend a small wooden ball 
with tiny holes in, just large enough to insert the 
smallest size flag having a wooden staff. (These 
flag holders may be purchased. They are ususdly 
red and have a long round stick or handle which 
may be tied or wired to the chandelier, or festoons.) 

Red, white and blue festoons must be strung upon 
wire or very heavy cord to be strong enough to hold 
the wooden ball for the flags. 

A card about three by ten inches bearing the 
name of a fort should also be hung over the table. 
Fort Sumter, Fort Ticonderoga, Fort Moultrie, Fort 
Duquesne, Fort Riley, Fort Hamilton, Fort Neces- 
sity, Fort Dodge, Fort McAllister, and Port Donel- 
son are names which may be used. 

Tally cards may represent flags or shields with 
red strings or ribbons for the ladies and blue for 
the men, and on the reverse side write the name of 
the fort and company, as "Fort Sumter, Company 
A" and "Fort Sumter, Company B" instead of table 
I, couple I, etc., etc. 

Six players are at each table — three are Company 
A and three are Company B. When all are seated 
the bugle is sounded and company A of each fort 
advances to the next fort in rotation to meet the 
enemy, company A of the foot table coming to the 
first table or fort. 

The bugle sounds again as a signal for the players 



134 Washington's Birthday 

to begin. Company A are partners sitting alter- 
nately with company B, who are partners and, of 
course, company A play against company B. 

Thirty-three cards are used to play this game, the 
Joker, Aces, Kings, Queens, Jacks, Ten, Nine, 
Eight, and Seven spots. Five cards are dealt to each 
player, the three remaining cards, called the widow, 
are turned face down. No trump is turned. After 
the deal the players bid for the trump in turn, com- 
mencing with the eldest hand. When a player bids 
he must name the suit he bids on. The highest bid 
wins emd the bidder is entitled to the widow, select- 
ing any cards he wishes and discarding others in 
their place. The side whose bid is successful must 
win the number of tricks bid or it is euchred and 
the opposite side scores the amount bid. A bid to 
play alone is higher than a bid of five and if the 
bidder takes all the tricks his side scores ten. 

At the end of five minutes the bugle is sounded 
and all must stop immediately. The company 
which has scored the most points at that time is 
victorious and takes the small flag, which has been 
placed on the table while they were playing, and 
places it in their own fort. (The flag holder sus- 
pended above the table.) 

All players return to their original forts and at the 
first sound of the bugle company B advances to meet 
the enemy while company A remains to protect the 
fort. At the second bugle call the soldiers begin 
the warfare which lasts another five minutes when 



Washington's Birthday 135 

the bugle announces time is up. A flag is given to 
the winning company at each table and furled above 
their fort, the players again taking their original 
seats at their own fort. 

At the bugle's blast company A advances to the 
second fort while company B remains to hold the 
fort, etc. etc. 

These maneuvers are kept up until the "soldiers'* 
of each fort have "fought for the flag" with the 
"soldiers" of each of the other forts, or as long as 
the "General" may see fit. 

The home fort must not be deserted by all of its 
soldiers at the same time. Either company A or 
company B remain during each skirmish — nor do 
company A and company B of the same fort play 
against each other. 

At the desired time the sound of the bugle is 
heard and the skirmish is ended. The fort having 
captured the most flags gains the victory and each 
soldier should be awarded a suitable prize. The 
fort having the least number of flags may be given 
a booby prize in the shape of small toy drums for 
the ladies and toy fife or horn for the gentlemen. 
The "General" may then order the soldiers of this 
fort to serenade the victorious soldiers. 

Fruit Punch with a generous supply of Maras- 
chino cherries may be served during the evening. 

Refreshments may consist of sandwiches tied with 
red, white and blue ribbon; red, white and blue 
layer cake (vegetable coloring can be obtained from 



136 ^A/'ashington's Birthday 

the confectioner) or small fancy cakes; red, white 
and blue cream patties, salted nuts, coffee, cherry 
ice or vanilla ice-cream. Use an ice cream disher 
which forms the ice cream into a conical shape. 
Small flags having a very long pin for a staff are 
placed in these forts. 

The menu may be enlarged by serving a salad 
or meat patties of various kinds. 

Cream cheese served with preserved cherries and 
salted crackers would be a palatable and appropri- 
ate dish. Ice cream and ices may be obtamed from 
the caterer in various appropriate molds, such as 
cannon balls, shields, flags, Geo. Washington hatch- 
ets, etc., etc. 



A WASHINGTON'S BIRTHDAY LUNCHEON 
IN WHITE AND RED 

A White cloth covered the table at this luncheon 
— a white embroidered linen center piece with lace 
edge under which showed red crepe tissue paper — 
vase of red and white carnations. Place Cards or- 
namented with hand painted cherries and hatchets. 
Favors, minature artificial cherry trees (with a tiny 
paper hatchet at the base) growing in (imitation) 
birch-wood candy boxes, which should be filled with 
candied cherries. 

Cream of oyster soup served in bouillon cups — 
salted crackers. — Celery; pimentoes cut in small 



Washington's Birthday 137 

pieces; salted peanuts in red paper cups. Serve 
on individual plates, chicken chartreuse with can- 
non ball potatoes. 

Chicken Chartreuse, — Butter tin moulds (% pt. 
tin cups are good ones) and line with cooked rice. 
Fill with creamed chicken previously prepared. Set 
moulds in pan of hot water and keep hot until 
wanted. Run knife around inside of tin to loosen 
the contents and invert mould upon serving plate. 
The result will be apparently a mould of rice. Place 
a maraschino cherry on the top. 

Cannon Ball Potatoes, — With a potato scoop cut 
round balls out of raw potatoes. Boil them in 
beet juice or use enough liquid off of pickled beets 
to color the water a deep red. Watch carefully 
that they do not cook soft enough to break. Serve 
a couple on each plate with the chicken chartreuse. 

Thin bread and butter sandwiches. 

Lady Washington Salad, — Cut the top off and 
scoop out the inside of bright red Jonathan apples. 
Place them on white lace paper doilies on salad 
plates and fill with the following mixture : — 

Equal portions of apple and celery cut in small 
cubes, one-eighth the amount of pimentoes cut fine 
and one-eighth the amount of maraschino cherries 
cut in half. Use a mayonnaise dressing or one of 
the manufactured salad dressings mixed with a gen- 
erous amount of whipped cream. 

Coffee covered with whipped cream. Vanilla ice 
cream or any fancy cream that is white, served in 



138 Washington's Birthday 

champagne glasses topped with a maraschino cherry. 
Marshmallow cake dotted with candied cherries. 
Red and white cream patties. 



GAMES AND PASTIMES FOR WASHINGTON'S 
BIRTHDAY 



HUNTING THE HATCHET 

Small paper hatchets (containing candy if de- 
sired) are previously hidden in every conceivable 
place in rooms to which guests have access, behind 
doors and pictures, in vases, under chairs and tables, 
on the gas fixtures, etc., etc. A certain length of 
time should be allowed for the hunt and the one 
finding the most hatchets should be rewarded with 
a prize. 



CHERRY RIPE 

A tooth pick is suspended by a string in the door 
way or from the ceiling just out of reach of the 
children. Stick a ripe cherry or a candied cherry 
on the tooth pick. The children in turn jump up 
and try to catch the cherry in their mouth. The 
cherry is the prize and when won by one of the 
children another cherry must be put on the tooth- 
pick until each child has had a turn. 



Washington's Birthday 139 



WASHINGTON PI 

Distribute to each guest a pencil and a slip of 
paper with the following letters written upon it : — 



I 

2 

3 


Higtaswonn 
Itesrpden 
Nutom Nervon 


I 

2 

3 


Washington 
President 
Mount Vernon 


4 
5 
6 


Leyalv Gorfe 

Serrouvy 

Wealadre 


4 
5 
6 


Valley Forge 

Surveyor 

Delaware 


7 
8 

9 

10 


Rechyr Erte 
Rebrafuy 
Tariopt 
Sametastn 


7 
8 

9 

10 


Cherry Tree 
February 
Patriot 
Statesman 



Announce to them that by transposing the letters 
they will spell a word which is in some way con- 
nected with the history of George Washington. 
The person having the correct answers first or the 
one having the most correct answers in a given 
time wins a prize. A candy box in the form of a pie 
full of candied cherries would be appropriate or 
something in a patriotic line such as a portrait or 
bust of Washington — a small cannon on a solid 
base intended for a paper weight — a drum pin- 
cushion — a miniature sword paper knife, etc., etc. 



CROSSING THE DELAWARE 

A space about four or five feet wide is marked 
off on the floor by stretching two strings from one 



140 Washington's Birthday 

side of the room to the other or with chalk which 
represents the "Delaware River." Or an imaginary 
line will answer. Half of the players stand on one 
side of the space and half on the opposite side. 

Each company has a captain who gives each of 
his soldiers a name that denotes action and can be 
demonstrated — ^beginning with the letter "A" such 
as appealingly, angrily, etc. The second soldier's 
name begins with "B" — blindly, bashfully, boister- 
ously. The third soldier's name begins with "C" 
— cautiously, carelessly, curiously, and so on through 
the alphabet until all are named. 

Then the captain of company A announces^ 
"Washington is crossing the Delaware." The cap- 
tain of the opposite company "B" replies, "How?" 
The first captain responds "A" whereupon the sol- 
dier of his company whose name begins with "A" 
walks across the space and back "awkwardly," "an- 
grily" or acting whatever name has been given to 
him (or her.) The opposite side try to guess the 
name from the actions or manner of the soldier. 
If the soldier crosses t6 the opposite side and back 
before his name is guessed he remains with his own 
company, but if the soldiers of the opposite side 
guess his name before he reaches camp he must 
join their ranks. 

Then the captain of company B announces, 
"Washington is crossing the Delaware." Captain of 
company A asks, "How?" Captain of company B 
responds "A" and his soldier "A" crosses over "anx- 



Washington's Birthday 141 

iously," "actively" or whatever the name may be. 
If he succeeds in reaching camp before his name is 
guessed he remains there but joins the opposite 
company if they guess his name before he reaches 
camp. 

Now it is company A's turn to send soldier "B" 
across with the same preliminaries as before. Then 
company B sends soldier "B" across the Delaware. 
Then Company A sends soldier "C" followed by 
soldier "C" of company B and so on, a soldier from 
each company alternately until all have had a chance 
to cross. 

The company having the most soldiers is vic- 
torious, as they have either crossed successfully or 
been captured. They may be rewarded by some 
appropriate trifle such as a tiny flag or paper hatchet, 
or some of the small brass or metal stick pins repre- 
senting shields, flags, eagles, colonial hats, rosettes, 
muskets, drums, etc., etc. 



April Fool's Day 



April first would be an occasion for a fancy dress 
party en masque. Invitations may be written on 
a large sheet of paper and folded or rolled into a 
small parcel and tied up in wrapping paper like a 
package. 

Decorate the rooms with paper or artificial flowers 
and plants. April Fool the guests when time for 
them to arrive by having the lights as low as pos- 
sible. The maid or person admitting the guests 
informs them the hostess is "not at home," but im- 
mediately adds "please come in and wait," and they 
are then directed to lighted rooms where they may 
remove their wraps. 

An invitation to a "Folly Party" may be adorned 
with a picture of a fools cap and bells or a Jester. 
One form reads thus: — 

On ye night of April first at stroke of eight 
Ye Fooles and Jesters will congregate 

At St ; Prithee come, likewise 

Bedecked in frivolous garb, Thy face disguise 
So unquestioned you may see 
"What fools these mortals be." 

If there is any question as to which member or 
members of the family is giving the party, enclose 
a visiting card or write the name of the host or 

142 



April Fool's Day 143 



hostess on the reverse side of invitation or back of 
envelope. 

One may choose from the following menu, foolish 
food for refreshment. 

Turtle Soup — au natural 

(Soup plates or bouillon cups of water with tiny toy 

turtle in each one) 

Radishes 

(Toy or paper red dishes) ?^ 

Piccalilli 

(A dish of artificial or natural lilies to pick from) 

Blue Points 
(Short pointed ends of blue crayon or lead pencils) 
Crackers 
(Tiny fire crackers) > 
FISH 
Baked Sole. '^ 

(An old sole of a shoe) 
Fried Perch 
(A wooden perch — the kind used in bird cages) 
ROAST 
Spring Lamb 
(A toy lamb in place of a jack-in-the-box) 
Wild Duck 
(Throw at the guests a large handful of small 
rubber or paper balls attached to rubber strings, so 
they will return and hit no one — the guests will 
"duck" to escape being hit.) 

ENTREES 
Rabbit en casserole i^ 
(Hair (hare) in covered dish) 



144 April Poors Day 



DESSERT 

Strawberry Ice 

(Strawberry buried in ice) 

Cake— Devil's Food 

(Sulphur matches) 

Black Coffee 

(Have the colored man step in and cough) ^ 

Mixed Nuts 

(Iron nuts such as used on bolts and machinery) 

Raisins 

(Yeast cakes) 

The hostess should have a bell at her place and 

ring it before each course, when the butler (or a 

gentleman who will act as butler for the occasion) 

will repeat in a loud voice the order of the hostess 

which, of course, will be simply the name of the 

food about to be served. Or have at each plate a 

small card with the menu written on it. 

For a centerpiece a dish of artificial fruit or a 
vase of daffodils (daffy-dills) may be used, placed 
on a cloth centerpiece, circular and cut in points, a 
bell on each point. Two colors should be used for 
the points. 

A few dishes of April Fool bon bons may be dis- 
tributed on the table. 

After this foolish feast is ended genuine refresh- 
ments should be served. One might reverse the 
order of serving; begin with the dessert and end 
with what should have been first. 

Many viands may be served "in disguise" and 
yet be very palatable. For instance creamed chick- 



April Fool's Day 145 

en, sweet breads, etc., may be encased in mashed 
potato or boiled rice. 

Line tin moulds with the potato or rice, fill the 
center with the creamed fowl, sweet breads or oys- 
ters and heat in pan of hot water. When inverted 
on serving plate there will be, apparently, a mound 
of potatoes or rice. 

Large baked potato skins may be used to enclose 
the meat, also grape fruit or orange rinds cut in 
half and contents removed, then filled with the hot 
chicken, etc., and the other half replaced, or cover 
the top with a lettuce leaf or sprigs of water cress 
or parsley. 

Lift one section of a banana skin, remove fruit, 
fill with any desired salad and replace section of 
skin. Use a toothpick to keep in place if necessary. 

Olives may be served, each covered with the half 
of an English walnut shell. A corn husk may hold 
a sandwich, etc., etc. 

Fruit cups may be made from apples, oranges, 
lemons, grape fruit, bananas, etc., and many of the 
vegetables could be utilized. The large telephone 
pea pods may contain a small pickle or relish of 
some kind. 

Mangoes or green pepper pods, tomatoes, canta- 
loupe, cucumbers, etc., may be scooped out and 
filled with food of a different nature. 

Cover the opening in the bottom of small flower 
pots with stiff paper or fill with paraffin wax. Line 
the flower pot with stiff white paper to within an 



146 April Poors Day 



inch of the top. Fill with chocolate ice cream or 
any desired cream, but cover the top with chocolate 
ice cream or chocolate frosting as dark as possible, 
sprinkle grated sweet chocolate or bits of chocolate 
fudge on top. Stick rather a short stemmed car- 
nation, daisy or similar flower in the center and 
serve. 

Small cakes may be served from cabbage heads. 
Use cabbage having the outside leaves on. Open 
the outer leaves carefully until there is enough to 
hide the interior. Cut out the center of the cabbage 
and fill with small cakes. 

All sorts of odd candy boxes filled with candies 
may be used for favors. 

Ordinary refreshments may be served on dishes 
not ordinarily used for that particular purpose. Use 
bowls or soup dishes instead of cups — saucers, vege- 
tables dishes, cups, etc., where plates or platters 
should be used. 

The clever hostess will, no doubt, think of many 
ways wise and otherwise to serve refreshments on 
such an occasion. 



AN APRIL FIRST FESTIVAL 

A "King's Jester," painted in water-color, clad in 
red and yellow, smiling and beckoning, is painted on 
one side of the white card of invitation. On the 
reverse side is written, in gold ink, " *Fools make 
feasts and wise people eat them,' saith the seer. Will 



April Poors Day 147 

you be one of the many wise ones on All Fools' Day 
evening to partake of a feast, and make merry be- 
times?" 

On the appointed evening the guests are met at the 
door and conducted to the parlor by a youth, dressed 
in a red blouse with full bishop sleeves and long 
pointed yellow cuffs, and a full-gathered, double 
skirt, half way to the knees, made in pointed scal- 
lops — the scallops of the lower skirt of yellow alter- 
nating with the scallops of the upper one of red with 
a jingling gold bell sewed to each scallop. One 
stocking is red, and the other yellow, and one foot is 
thrust into a red sandal, and the other into a yellow 
one, with a bell on each sharply pointed toe. 

Around his waist is a red leather belt; a yellow 
jester's cap with red leather rim, and with bells on 
the hood, and a red cape with yellow lining completes 
his dress. The costume is made of glossy sateen ; the 
sandals of canton flannel. 

A half hour before dinner, the "fool" hands each 
guest pencil and paper and menu card, and they are 
asked to guess the dinner viands. The menu reads, 
"Food for the Wise:" 

1. Baked portion of beast Americanized in 1493, 
by Columbus. (Ham.) 

2. Fried jewel-boxes of the sea. (Oysters.) 

3. Fried young sons of a fowl first found in Java. 
(Spring chicken.) 

4. Slices of a Chilean tuber that once saved a 
cross-sea nation from famine. (Chipped potatoes.) 



148 April Fool's Day 

5. Love apples. (Tomatoes.) 

6. Salad of a bleached vegetable, akin to the hem- 
lock of Socrates. (Celery salad.) 

7. A nineteen-day vegetable. (Radishes.) 

8. A Greek herb pudding. (Asparagus.) 

9. Fruit that caused a war. (Apples.) 

10. Sauce of an old world plant, akin to dock. 
(Rhubarb.) 

1 1. Slices of bread, and the fruit of the emblem of 
peace. (Olives sandwiches.) 

12. A food with which Canaan was said to flow 
— eggs and sugar, boiled and frozen. (Custard.) 

13. Dear to squirrels. (Nuts.) 

14. Sugar plums. (Bon-bons.) 

15. Obtained from the hoopskirt and tin can 
eater. (Cheese.) 

16. Sugared dough. (Cake.) 

17. A drink (from a berry) introduced in Eng- 
land in 1652 by a Greek. (Coffee.) 

The prizes for the best "guessers" are books — Max 
Pemberton's "Queen of Jesters" for the fortunate 
girl, and Victor Hugo's "Man Who Laughs" for the 
lucky man. The booby prizes are wands with "fools* 
heads" of gingerbread. 

The cloth of the dining table is made of sheeting, 
with a two-inch hem, and with pleasantly jingling 
bells of yellow and red sewed thickly around the en- 
tire edge. 

At each end of the table, with each hand catching 
a red ribbon that runs in waves entirely around the 



April Fool's Day 149 



table, is a King's Jester, painted on the cloth — fac- 
similes of the living one who served the guests. 

For painting the cloth — common tube paints are 
used — taking for a thinning medium a mixture of 
three ounces of turpentine, ten drops of pure cider 
vinegar, six drops of lemon extract, and a little sugar 
of lead. The figures are drawn with a lead drawing 
pencil, and care taken in painting them to prevent 
the paint spreading over the edges of the design. 
Several days are given the cloth to dry before using. 

The tomatoes and apples are yellow and red; the 
radishes are red; the cakes are small squares, iced 
yellow and red, and the bon-bons are little clear red 
and lemon colored fishes — typical of the French 
"poissons d'Avril," "April fish," as their "April 
Fool" is called. 

Following are a few games, etc., for the amuse- 
ment of children small and children tall. 



FOLLIES OF FORTUNE 

Let one of the ladies be blindfolded and seated 
behind a large screen or curtain or in a tent in an 
adjoining room which is dimly lighted. A gypsy 
tent may be improvised with three long sticks tied 
together at one end, the other ends resting on the 
floor at equal distances forming a tripod which is 
covered with a couple of large sheets. 

Announce to the guests, "We have secured for 
your pleasure this evening that remarkable necro- 



150 April Poors Day 



mancer, Madam Loof-lirpa. (April fool spelled 
backwards.) The madam is the seventh daughter 
of the seventh daughter and has the rare and mar- 
velous power of second sight, and while securely 
blindfolded she will tell you an5^hing that you have 
done. 

All are welcome to visit this seeress but only one 

at a time. Mr. you may come first if you 

please," (naming one of the gentlemen present.) 

Just before ushering the "fated" one into the pres- 
ence of Madam Loof-lirpa, inform him that in order 
to be sure the fortune teller cannot see through the 
bandages over her eyes, he should make several 
motions or signs or*pose before her for a few seconds 
and then say to her "Madam, what did I do?" 

The Seeress may keep him in suspense a second or 
two before replying or may say "I am not quite 
sure. Please do it again," and finally answer, "You 
made a fool of yourself." 

Each victim has the privilege of remaining near 
enough to see the next one caught. 



FOLLOW MY FOOT-STEPS 

Place a number of articles such as pillows, books, 
handkerchiefs, inexpensive bric-a-brac, etc., on the 
floor. One person acts as leader and walks in a zig- 
zag path around the obstacles, followed by the 
others. Then one of the party is blindfolded and 
told by the leader to "follow my foot-steps and if 



April Poors Day 151 

you do not break or mar anything you shall have a 
surprise." 

When the "victim" starts on his journey every- 
thing is quietly removed from his path and when he 
has tired of wandering and removes the bandage he 
is greeted by "April Fool." 



FOOLISHNESS 

Ask the guests to tell the most foolish thing they 
ever did and give a suitable prize for the most foolish 
answer. 



IT IS TO LAUGH 

The players form a circle taking hold of hands and 
circle aroimd one of the players who is blindfolded 
and holds a staff or cane. When he raps on tlje 
floor with the cane they all stand still. He then 
points the cane towards some one, saying, "It is to 
laugjh." The person touched by the cane or nearest 
it places the end of the cane close to his mouth and 
laughs. If his name is guessed by the player in the 
center they change places and circle again — if not, 
they circle until the player in the center succeeds in 
naming the owner of the laugh. 



152 April Fool's Day 

THE MUSEUM 

The guests are invited to inspect your collection 
of curios and souvenirs which are displayed in nu- 
merous paste board boxes, collectively on a large 
table, or distributed in convenient places about the 
room on mantels, tables, piano, book shelves, etc. 

Each box bears a large placard or label of its 
contents. "An Ancient Instrument of Punish- 
ment," a worn slipper ; "An Irish Bat," a brick bat ; 
"The Mummy of the Mound Builders," a stuffed 
mole; "Bonaparte," two small bones placed apart 
from each other ; "An American Fool's Cap," a sheet 
of fools-cap paper; "Tainted Money," a penny flat- 
tened and mutilated until it is spoiled; "A Long- 
fellow Souvenir," a section of bamboo; "A Pair of 
Ancient Pincers," two dried crawfish or lobster 
claws; "A Fool's Paradise," a pair of dice; "Sacred 
White Rabbit," a white hair. 

"A Lobster," a small mirror reflecting each one 
who peers in; 

"A Marble Bust from Italy," a broken marble; 

"A Pair of Pink Hose from London," two tiny 
toy hoes colored pink; 

"A Necktie from Mexico," a rope noose; 

"An Old Fashioned Beaux," a bow of ribbon; 

"A Diamond Tray," the three spot of diamonds. 

"A Crazy Flower," a daffodil (daffy-dill,) ; 

Etc., etc. 

Pitfalls and snares for the unwary are all around. 



April Fool's Day 153 



A silver coin is glued to the floor. A handkerchief 
or bow is fastened to the floor. A vase of flowers 
have a little snuff or pepper sprinkled on them — 
those who smell will sneeze. An artificial mouse 
is attached to a curtain. Slyly pin papers, bearing 
different inscriptions, on the backs of some of the 
guests. One may read, "Please tell me my name." AH 
who read it will tell him his name which becomes 
monotonous. "Please kiss me," "Please hold my 
hand," "Please kick me gently," "Please borrow my 
money," "Please make me laugh," "Please call me 
Fond He^t." 

These and many other foolish things will seem 
funny on All Fool's Day. 



Easter 



Easter Day should be a peaceful, happy day of 
rejoicing, thanksgiving and praise to the Giver of 
all good. Easter is symbolic of a new life, and a 
brighter one. It is springtime, the sun shines 
brightly, and Nature smiles. She is rejoicing be- 
cause her dead are coming to life again. The trees, 
the grass, the flowers all rise up in the glory of a 
new and beautiful life. Chrysalis and egg are not 
strong enough to keep back the new life of butterfly 
and bird which rises skyward to rejoice, each in its 
own way. 

One of the oldest and most characteristic Easter 
rites and the most widely diffused is the use of 
paschal (Easter or Passover) eggs. They are 
usually dyed in various colors and people mutually 
make presents of them. There can be little doubt 
that their use at this season was originally symbol- 
ical of the revivication of nature, the springing forth 
of life which in turn is symbolical of the ascension. 

In some parts of the country colored eggs are 
hidden in nests or in corners, and the children have 
a great deal of pleasure on Easter morning hunting 
for the eggs which, according to German folk-lore, 
were brought during the night by the White Rabbit. 

Here is an idea for an Easter Luncheon which 
would be appropriate at this season. 

154 



Easter 155 

A LUNCHEON IN WHITE AND YELLOW 

Use a large plateau or mirror for the centerpiece, 
in the center of which lay an irregular piece of real 
(or artificial) moss about one-half the diameter of 
the plateau (to represent an island.) Stick a few 
sprays of asparagus and maidenhair fern in it and 
a number of white and yellow spring flowers — the 
crocus, jonquil, daffodil, daisy and snowdrop. Cut 
the stems of the flowers in various lengths to give 
a better effect. Place a few (artificial) little fluffy 
chickens on the island and several downy ducklings 
in the surrounding lake (mirror.) Or use a vase of 
jonquils and daffodils for a center piece. 

Place cards may be made by cutting bristol board 
into egg shape or oval pieces. On a portion of this 
card spread some mucilage and sprinkle yellow sand 
over it. Then stand a tiny yellow chick (these are 
made of wool and can be purchased very cheap) on 
the sand (using glue) and close behind it glue the 
small end of an egg shell. Similar cards can be pur- 
chased all ready decorated. 

Serve a grape fruit cocktail first. Cut the grape 
fruit in half, take out the fruit in as large pieces as 
possible, place in a bowl with the juice. Mix with 
this a small amount of white grapes, halved and the 
seeds removed, and a portion of pineapple canned 
or fresh cut in small pieces and some of the juice 
or syrup from the pineapple. Add a little sugar and 
angelica wine if desired. Remove the pulp from the 



156 Easter 

grape fruit, fill each half with the mixture and serve 
on doylie covered plates. 

For a relish use celery, white radishes, small yel- 
low tomato pickles or pickled white grapes. 

The meat course consists of creamed chicken, 
creamed sweetbreads and creamed veal. Carefully 
cut about one-third of the shell off the top of as 
many eggs as needed. Remove egg and fill shell 
with the hot creamed meat, (use three shells for each 
plate, each having a different filling) and replace 
top of shell. 

Form shoestring potatoes into a nest on a serving 
plate and place the stuffed eggs in the nest. (Tap 
the filled egg slightly on the end, indenting but 
not breaking it and the egg will easily stand on end.) 

Or make a nest of mashed potatoes pressing it 
through a fruit press or potato ricer and place in the 
center of it meat croquettes, oval shaped and very 
delicately browned. 

Bread sticks or tiny rolls tied with white and yel- 
low ribbon. Mould the butter into the shape of 
an egg. 
. Escalloped corn in ramikins. 

Salad of California Asparagus tips on bleached 
lettuce leaf: Place a ring of hard boiled eggs 
around the stem end of asparagus (slice hard boiled 
eggs cross-wise, remove the yolk and thrust the 
ends of asparagus through the white part) serve 
with French dressing. 

If ice cream is to be served on plates, have vanilla 



Easter 157 

and orange flavors packed in a tubular mold, the 
orange in the center and the vanilla around the out- 
side so that when cut it has the appearance of a slice 
of hard boiled egg. 

If the cream is served in glasses have the two 
colors moulded in the form of an egg. 

Serve lady fingers and egg kisses, or angel food 
and sunshine cake. 

At each place have salted almonds in a yellow 
egg shell cup. Color the eggs a rich yellow, cut 
off about one-third of the top and remove egg — ^use 
the larger portion of the shell, mash the end a trifle 
and glue to a small oval paste board. 

Bonbons consist of small jelly eggs, white and 
yellow in a tiny basket at each place. 

The favors are Easter bonnets which the guests 
are asked to wear. (Procure small doll hats of var- 
ious styles profusely trimmed with flowers of white 
and yellow and place a common white hat pin in 
each one.) 



AN EASTER BONNET PARTY 

A very pleasant entertainment to be given about 
Eastertide is one at which the all-engrossing head 
covering of the season is to be manufactured. 

The materials required are simple — two sheets of 
tissue paper for each guest, numerous pairs of scis- 
sors and silver table knives, and pins without limit. 



158 Easter 



The workroom — preferably one provided with a 
large table — is decorated with plates of fashionable 
hats borrowed from a milliner, advertisements of all 
sorts displaying bonnets, and half a dozen pattern 
hats previously made by the hostess. 

Placards announcing "Fashion's Fancies" or Hints 
on Headgear" give substantial advice like the fol- 
lowing: "Bald-headed gentlemen are no longer 
affecting the pompadour style of hat;" "A simple 
crown is King Edward VII.*s favorite headgear at 
present;" "None but the very fast set will wear 
more than fifteen colors in any one bonnet this 
season." 

Each guest is furnished with a roll of two sheets 
of paper which harmonize in hue, and is told to 
make a hat or bonnet in fifteen minutes. Really sur- 
prising results will begin to appear. Some very 
lovely creations will be evolved by the tasteful 
fingers of the wonderful woman who can stretch a 
dollar; exceedingly funny dunce and soldier caps 
with nodding tassels of paper fringe will be the 
products of the big men who can always laugh and 
give others an occasion for mirth. Hats with brims 
and without, crownless and with peaked crowns, 
with streamers and with ties, so small that they 
challenge the ever-present bow in the hair, and so 
large as to give cause for another arrest in a New 
Orleans theater — all the hat family will be there — 
and so will fun. 

Did you ever make one? Lay together two 



Easter 155 



squares of tissue of different colors (white and blue 
are pretty), gather it — with pins — in a circle, so as 
to form a crown, leaving the four corners sticking 
straight out for the present. Roll back two corners 
loosely, so as to give a pompadour effect for the 
front, and plait the others so they stand stiff for high 
trimming behind. This gives you a foundation. 
For trimming use aigrettes — long fringe pinned so 
tightly as to stand stiff and curled on its edges with 
a table knife — and ostrich plumes — short fringe well 
curled. Pin on the back a pair of bewitching strings, 
pat, punch and pull into shape, and you have a fetch- 
ing bonnet. 

That is only one-r-an easy one. Numberless forms 
come when one begins to invoke them. 

When the time has expired, form couples for a 
cake walk before the judges and award the prizes. 
A bunch of Easter lilies, or a clump of hepaticas or 
pasque flowers growing in a tiny china bowl is ap- 
propriate for head prize ; a hatpin or a book of non- 
sense verse for the foot prize. 

The following games are also suggested. 



MATCHING EGGS 

Give each person a certain number of hard boiled 
eggs. The one who succeeds in cracking the shells 
of his opponent's by hitting the ends together is the 
winner. 



160 Easter 



EGG RACE 



Place six hard boiled Easter eggs on each side of 
the room about one foot apart. A large basket is 
placed at the far end of the room. The players are 
divided in two sides, each side being chosen one at 
a time by the leaders. A large wooden or tin spoon 
is then given to one player on each side, who, at a 
given signal, dishes up the eggs one at a time with 
the spoon, placing them in the basket provided. 
The leader replaces the eggs on the floor and the 
next player on each side takes the spoon and lifts 
the eggs from the floor and carries them to the bas- 
ket and so on until all have had a turn. 

A record is kept of the winners and the side hav- 
ing the greater number wins the game. This game 
may be changed slightly by someone timing the 
players with a watch, keeping track of the seconds 
and the one getting all the eggs into the basket in 
the shortest time receives a prize. 

When it is convenient to play this game out of 
doors or in a very large room place six or more 
rows of six eggs each on each side of the room or 
lawn, with a player (provided with a spoon) behind 
each row. At a given signal all start to pick up 
the eggs with their spoons, and the one finishing 
first wins for his side. 



Easter 161 



HEN AND CHICKENS 

A leader is chosen for the "hen" and the remain- 
der of the children are "chickens," except one who 
is supposed to be a chicken hawk. 

They stand in a row behind one another and grasp 
the skirts or coat-tails of the child ahead and then 
they march along with the "hen" at the head of the 
line. 

The "hawk" stands from six to sixteen feet away 
(the distance depends on the size of the players and 
the space to play in, the larger each are the greater 
the distance may be) watching the parade for a short 
time, then begins to flop his wings (moves arms in 
imitation of flying) and calls out, "How many chicks 
have you?" The "hen" replies, "four and twenty, 
shoo! shoo!" The "hawk" shouts, "That's too 
many. I'll take a few," and then runs after the chil- 
dren trying to touch or "tag" them The "hen," of 
course, tries to protect them by getting them under 
her wing — when the "chicks" stoop they are sup- 
posed to be under their mother's wing and cannot 
be caught. The children must not let go of each 
other's skirts or coat-tails (except when caught, then 
the captured one steps out of the line and the line is 
closed up.) The hen and chickens may run around 
as much as they like, only they must keep together 
by holding on to each other's clothes. The game 
continues until the hawk has caught the hen and 
chickens — then a different player is chosen for the 
hawk and the hen. 



162 Easter 



AN EGG HUNT 



Hide colored Easter eggs or small candy eggs in 
various places, in corners, behind curtains, brie a 
brae, etc., etc. Provide each child with a small 
basket or paper bag and at a signal they start to 
hunt for the hidden eggs. Allow a certain length 
of time for the hunting and reward the one who 
finds the most eggs with a large candy egg. 



BOWLING 

Get ten small toy ten-pins or use wooden clothes 
pins. Stand them upon end about six or eight inches 
apart in a line across the room. Use five colored 
eggs for the balls. A player kneels on one knee at 
a distance of four feet from the ten-pins and rolls 
the eggs, one after another toward the ten-pins, 
knocking down as many as he can. Then another 
player rolls the eggs and so on until all have taken 
a turn. Count is kept and the person knocking 
down the most ten-pins is the winner and receives a 
"Panorama egg" or some other appropriate prize. 



May Day 



May Day was one of the chief festivals of ancient 
times and also in more modern times. The Romans 
held the "Floralia" or festivals in honor of Flora, 
the Goddess of Flowers, from April 28th to the First 
of May. The Celts and English used to celebrate 
May Day extensively. But time makes many 
changes and as the years increase this custom has 
decreased, so that in some parts of the country the 
present generation know May first only as moving 
day instead of a festival of flowers. 



MAY POLE DANCE 

If this entertainment is to be out-of-doors a long 
pole is erected in the center of the lawn ; or fastened 
into a solid base and set in the center of the room 
if desired for indoor amusement. 

Procure a very light weight wheel about twenty 
inches in diameter. Wind bright colored bunting or 
ribbon around the wheel and spokes and attach 
various flowers and blossoms singly and in clusters 
to the cloth, letting some hang down as vines and 
festoons. Place the hub over top of May Pole. 
Insert in the top of hub three pennants of red, white 
and blue and stalks of flowers. Natural flowers 



164 May Day 



should be used if possible but paper or artificial ones 
may be substituted. 

Attach from ten to twenty bright colored narrow 
streamers or ribbons to the May-pole underneath the 
hub; braid these in and out around the May pole 
intertwining garlands of flowers for a distance of 
about twelve inches and fasten streamers securely 
in place. Supply each child with a basket or bou- 
quet of flowers. 

The end of each streamer is given to a girl and 
boy alternately. The girls hold the ribbon in the 
left hand and the boys hold the ribbon in the right 
hand. They spread out into a circle the ribbons or 
streamers at full length the children standing side- 
ways from the May-pole, the girls facing one direc- 
tion and the boys facing the opposite direction. 
The music starts up and the children dance around 
in a circle. The boys pass on the outside first letting 
their ribbons ^ass over the heads of the girls, then 
the girls pass at the outer edge of the circle letting 
their ribbons pass over the heads of the boys, and 
so on until the ribbons are braided around the May- 
pole, and then they are unwound in the same man- 
ner if desired. 



MAY-DAY FETE 

A Japanese fete is suitable for a May Day affair, 
especially for a large affair where house and grounds 
can be utilized. The hostess who wishes to carry 



May Day 165 



out the Japanese idea correctly will study a book 
on Japanese customs. She will find it an easy mat- 
ter to make her grounds attractive on this idea. 
Cross two long bamboo fishing poles over the gate 
and hang two fancy lanterns therefrom. Make a 
path from gate to house by setting up wooden pedes- 
tals surmounted by lanterns (this is the approach to 
the Japanese temples) ; suspended. Outline the 
veranda with the lanterns, suspend large ones in 
doors and windows, and burn red fire in dark cor- 
ners of the lawn. Have fans passed by small boys 
in Japanese costume. Have all waiters in the house 
dressed as Japanese waiters. 

In fixing up the house, take into consideration the 
Japanese love for flowers and that they have several 
floral feasts. The flowers can be made from paper. 
Let one room represent the cherry blossoms, the 
great flower of Japan. Use the pink cherry blos- 
soms everywhere, against the walls, from chandelier 
and in the hair of the ladies. Serve cherry ice and 
small cakes decorated with candied cherries, and 
cherry phosphate or punch in this room. The wis- 
teria is another flower which is cultivated in great 
quantities in Japan. This room should be in laven- 
der, and if it is impossible to secure the wisteria for 
a pattern, show Japanese photographs or have Jap- 
anese tableaux, a reading from "Madame Butterfly,'* 
or "The Japanese Nightingale," and give tiny fans 
tied with violet ribbon in this room. In August the 
Japanese have their feast of the lotus and the pond 



166 May Day 



lily can be used in decoration of one room. Have 
everything here green and white. Use the waterlily 
and its broad leaves in a frieze around the room and 
in a wreath about the table. For the table decora- 
tion use tiny dwarf plants in odd jardiniers sur- 
mounting an "island" made of rocks. Mirrors can 
be used about the base of this rocky pile and a minia- 
ture garden laid out with tiny shells, white pebbles, 
and the sprigs. The Japanese delight in making 
these miniature landscape gardens in the smallest 
possible space; the dwarf trees, but a few inches 
high, are the wonder of tourists. 

In this room serve white sandwiches tied with red 
ribbons. These may be chicken, Neufchatel cheese, 
chopped almonds and Brazil nuts, peanuts, lettuce 
with white mayonnaise. Serve white ice cream, in 
scarlet tissue cups, and cake. Decorate the squares 
of white cake with round red candies in imitation 
of the flag of Japan. The imperial flag is the gold 
ball on a red field, the national flag a red sun on 
a white field and the man-of-war flag, a red sun with 
rays on a white field. Iced tea may be served in this 
room. 

A fancy dress party, each person representing a 
flower would be a pretty idea for May Day. Dancing, 
according to history, was the favorite pastime on 
this occasion and would be very appropriate at the 
present time. 



May Day 167 



VARIEGATED ROSES 

Pass pencils and slips of paper to the guests with 
the following written on each paper : — 

1. (A Symbol of purity.) 

2. (What has been done with a newspaper.) 

3. (A pronoun.) 

4. (A product of Japan.) 

5. (A bra5dng fellow.) 

6. (A state of insanity.) 

7. (A rose without a thorn.) 

8. (A verdant growth found on old trees.) 

9. (A native of Africa.) 

10. (Pertaining to the U. S. and a synonym of 
lovely.) 

Tell the guests that the questions represent some 
kind of a rose or a word whose last syllable has the 
sound of rose. A suitable prize is given the person 
who has the correct answers in a limited time. 

The "roses" represented are (i) white rose; (2) 
red rose; (3) heroes; (4) tea rose; (5) jack rose; 
(6) wild rose; (7) tuberose; (8) moss rose; (9) 
negroes; (10) American beauty rose. 



RING AROUND A ROSY 

The children take hold of hands and form a circle ; 
except one who stands in the center of the ring. 
They circle around singing this little verse 



168 May Day 



Ring Around a Rosy 
A pocket full of posy 
The one who stoops last 
Wants to be your Beau-sy 

When the verse is ended the children in the circle 
stoop quickly and the last one down must join the 
child in the center of the ring. The circle of children 
go around again singing the same ditty. The last 
child to stoop this time joins the one who went 
into the circle the previous time and the child who 
has remained through the two verses steps out and 
joins the children in the circle. 



DROP THE FLOWER 

This is played the same as drop the handkerchief 
except a flower is used instead of a handkerchief and 
the verse is a trifle different. The song runs thus — 
**A tisket a tasket a green and yellow basket. I sent 
a bouquet to my love and on the way I dropped it^ 
etc., etc." 



Fourth of July 

Fire crackers and fire works seem to have first 
place in the celebration of our Glorious Fourth, but 
a few games and amusements of a patriotic nature 
or connected in some way with the symbols of the 
day may not come amiss. 



WHAT WILL YOU DO FOR YOUR COUNTRY 

The players are seated in a row or circle except 
the leader who is seated in the center of the 
group. The leader begins the game by asking the 
first one "What will you do for your country." The 
player must reply immediately with a word begin- 
ning with the letter "A" such as admire it, adore 
it, aid it, act for it, etc., etc. If he does not reply 
promptly he must pay a forfeit or he must pay a for- 
feit if he uses a word which would show disloyalty to 
his country such as antagonize it, abhor it, etc. etc. 

The same question is put to each player to answer 
with a word beginning with the letter "A." Then 
ask the first player again, "What will you do for 
your country." This time the reply must begin 
with the letter "B" such as battle, beg, bawl or be 
brave for it. The next time use the letter "C" and 
so on through the alphabet. 

169 



170 Fourth of July 



RALLY ROUND THE FLAG 

The children take hold of hands and form a cir- 
cle, except one who is standard bearer and stands 
in the center of the circle holding an American flag 
having a staff about four feet long, which is pointed 
so it can be easily stuck into the ground. The chil- 
dren all sing, 

The Union Forever, Hurrah boys. Hurrah ! 
Down with the traitor, Up with the star; 
While we rally 'round the flag, boys, rsdly once again. 
Shouting the battle cry of Freedom. 

When the children sing, "Hurrah boys. Hurrah," 
they wave their right hands high in the air. As 
they sing "Down with the traitor" all stoop to the 
ground. As they sing "Up with the star" all jump 
up and the child in the center raises the flag and 
waves it until the last line is sung, when he places 
the flag in the ground. As the children begin to 
sing the third line of the verse, "While we rally 
round the flag, etc.," they join hands and circle 
around until the verse is finished, when they drop 
hands and run. While the child in the center counts 
one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, 
ten, halt. If the standard bearer sees any child's 
feet move after he cries "halt," he has the privilege 
of tagging that child, who is then an ally of the stand- 
ard bearer and helps tag the other children he sees 



Fourth of July 171 



moving. If a child can reach the flag and touch it 
without his movements being seen by the standard 
bearer or his allies he is free. When all have gained 
freedom or been caught the game is finished and 
may be repeated if desired, choosing a different 
standard bearer. 



TORPEDO HUNT 

Hide a lot of small paper torpedoes in various 
places around the lawn. Give each child a paper 
bag and at a signal, which is the explosion of a 
torpedo, they begin to hunt for the hidden torpe- 
does. The one finding the most is given a small 
flag which the children salute by firing off their 
torpedoes. 



THE FLAG OF THE FREE 

With water colors or crayons sketch the American 
flag on white cards omitting the stars. Give each 
guest a card and forty-six tiny mucilaged stars. 
Wave a flag as a signal to begin placing the stars 
on the blue of the flag. Ring a bell at the end of 
five or six minutes and award a small silk flag or 
a fire cracker candy box filled with candy to the one 
having his flag the most complete. 



172 Fourth of July 

BATTLES OF THE UNITED STATES, FOR 
FOURTH OF JULY 

Try the following: What battle of the United 
States is 

1. A fortified place, to perform and a walking 
stick? 

2. An English coin and the act of directing at- 
tention? 

3. A royal weight? 

4. A teutonic village? 

5. Two intoxicants? 

6. A feminine proper name and a Roman gar- 
ment? 

7. Inclosures for domestic animals? 

8. An English city and a village? 

9. What railway porters expect, a consonant and 
a kind of boat? 

10. The village of a female ruler? 

11. A male bovine and what people do when it 
chases them? 

12. The residence oiF "Portia" in the "Merchant 
of Venice?" 

13. A vegetable and a range of hills? 

14. An ancient city of Greece? 

15. Beautiful forest trees? 

16. A number and table utensils? 

17. To propel, a forest tree, and a body of land 
surrounded by water? 

18. A judicial officer's village? 



Fourth of July 173 



19. A dear fortification? 

20. A range of hills for burial purposes? 

Answers : 
I. Battle of Fort Du Quesne. 2. Crown Point. 
3. Princeton. 4. Germantown. 5. Brandywine. 
6. Saratoga. 7. Cowpens. 8. Yorktown. 9. 
Tippecanoe. 10. Queenstown. 11. Bull Run. 12. 
Belmont. 13. Pea Ridge. 14. Corinth. 15. Fair 
Oaks. 16. Five Forks. 17. Roanoke Island. 18. 
Chancellorsville. 19. Richmond. 20. Cemetery 
Ridge. 



FLAGS OF ALL NATIONS 

Drape the red, white and blue bunting from tree 
to tree and nail to the trees flags of sixteen different 
countries; the flags to be numbered. Provide each 
guest with a card containing as many numbers as 
there are flags. The guests are requested to fill out 
the cards with the names of countries the flags repre- 
sent, and are allowed fifteen minutes in which to do 
this. He who correctly fills his card in the shortest 
time is given a prize. Flag stickpins, bon-bon boxes 
representing flags, or some patriotic book would be 
appropriate. 

It is surprising how few are familiar with the flags 
of different nations. 



Hallow-e'en 

Hallow-e*en or Hallow-Even is the last night of 
October, being the eve or vigil of All-Hallo w*s or 
All Saint's Day, and no holiday in all the year is so 
informal or so marked by fun both for grown-ups as 
well as children as this one. On this night there 
should be nothing but laughter, fun and mystery. 
It is the night when Fairies dance. Ghosts, Witches, 
Devils and mischief-making Elves wander around. 
It is the night when all sorts of charms and spells are 
invoked for prying into the future by all young 
folks and sometimes by folks who are not young. 

In getting up a Hallow-e'en Party everything 
should be made as secret as possible, and each guest 
bound to secrecy concerning the invitations. 

Any of the following forms of invitations might 
be used. 



Witches and Choice Spirits of Darkness will 
hold High Carnival atifiy house, 

Wednesday, October 31st, 

at eight o'clock. Come prepared to test your 

fate. 

Costume, Witches, Ghosts, etc. 



174 






Hallow-e'en 175 



Miss Ethel Jones will expect to see you 
at her Hallow-e'en Party Wednesday, Oct. 
31st, at 8 o'clock. She begs that you will 
come prepared to participate in the mysteries 
and rites of All Hallow's Eve, and to wear 
a costume appropriate to the occasion. 



On Wednesday, Oct. 31st, at 8 o'clock, I 
shall celebrate Hallow-e'en and hope that you 
will come and participate in the mysteries 
and rites of All Hallow's Eve, so come pre- 
pared to learn your fate. 



The room or rooms in which most of the games 
are to be played should be decorated as grotesquely 
as possible with Jack-o'-lanterns made from apples, 
cucumbers, squash, pumpkins, etc., with incisions 
made for eyes, nose and mouth and a lighted candle 
placed within. 

Jack-o'-lanterns for the gas jets may be made of 
paste board boxes about the size of a shoe box. 
Cut holes for eyes, nose and mouth in all four sides 
of the box and cover the holes with red or green 
tissue paper. A black box with the openings cov- 
ered with red tissue paper or vice versa or white 
and green make good combinations. 

Cut a hole in the bottom of the box just large 
enough to fit over the gas jet, turning the gas low 
enough to not burn the box. 

In addition to this Jack-o'-lanterns made from 



175 Hallow-e'en 



pumpkins, etc., should be placed around on tables, 
mantles, corners, etc. 

A skull and cross bones placed over the door en- 
tering the house would be very appropriate. The 
hall should be in total darkness except for the light 
coming from the Jack-o'-lanterns of all shapes and 
sizes in various places. 

Autumn leaves, green branches, apples, tomatoes 
and corn should also play an important part in the 
decorations. Black and yellow cheese cloth or 
crepe paper makes very effective and inexpensive 
decorations. 

The dining room should be decorated with au- 
tumn leaves, golden rod, yellow chrysanthemums, 
strings of cranberries, etc. For a table center piece 
a large pumpkin could be used with the top cut off 
and partly filled with water in which a large bunch 
of yellow chrysanthemums or golden-rod could be 
placed. Bay leaves can be scattered over the table. 

Another idea for a center piece is a large pump- 
kin Jack-o'-lantern, the top cut in large points with 
small chocolate mice in the notches and scamper- 
ing down the sides of the pumpkin (held in place by 
long pins or a little glue) and over the table. 

Place Cards representing pumpkins, black cats, 
witches' hats, witches, brownies, etc., are appro- 
priate. 

If one is not an artist in water color painting, 
some of the cards could be cut from colored bristol 
board or heavy paper. The witches' hats of black 



Hallow-e'en 177 



or brown paper with a red ribbon band; the cats 
of black paper showing a back view may have a red 
or yellow ribbon necktie; the pumpkins of yellow 
paper with the sections traced in ink or notched a 
trifle and black thread drawn between the notches. 

Any of these designs could be used for an invita- 
tion for a children's party, by writing on the re- 
verse side: "Will you please come to my party on 
Wednesday, October 31st" with the name and ad- 
dress of the little host or hostess, using white ink 
on black paper. 

The dining-room should also be in total darkness, 
except for the light given by the Jack-o'-lanterns, 
until the guests are seated, when they should un- 
mask. The supper could be served in this dim light 
or the lights turned up and the room made brilliant. 
After the supper is over and while the guests are 
still seated a splendid idea would be to extinguish all 
the lights and to have one or more of the party tell 
ghost stories. 

Have a large pumpkin on a stand or table from 
which hang as many ribbons as there are guests. 
Have one end of the ribbon attached to a small card 
in the pumpkin on which may be a little water color 
sketch of pumpkin, apples, witch, ghost or other 
appropriate design together with a number. Have 
red ribbon for the girls and yellow ribbon for the 
boys, with corresponding numbers. Let each guest 
draw a ribbon from the pumpkin and find their part- 
ner by number. 



178 Hallow-e'en 



Another suggestion is to have the hall totally dark 
with the door ajar and no one in sight to welcome 
the guests. As they step in they are surprised to 
be greeted by some one dressed as a ghost who ex- 
tends his hand which is covered with wet salt. 

The following games and tests of fate and for- 
tune will furnish entertainment for children small 
and children of a larger growth. Of course, prying 
into the future with these tests at any other time^ 
they may not prove infallible, but on the Eve of All 
Saint's Day, when all the elves, the fairies, goblins 
and hob-goblins are at large playing pranks and 
teasing and pleasing, why should they not "come 
true." 



APPLE SEEDS 

Name two wet apple seeds and stick them on 
forehead. First seed to fall indicates that the per- 
son for whom seed is named is not a true lover. 



APPLE PARING 

Each guest, receiving apple and knife, is requested 
to peel apple without breaking; then swing paring 
around head, and let it drop to floor. The letter 
formed is initial of future mate's name. Or, you 
may hang your paring over door — the first of oppo- 
site sex to pass under will be your mate. 



Hallow-e'en 179 



APPLE-SEED TEST 

Cut an apple open and pick out seeds from core. 
If only two seeds are found, they portend early mar- 
riage; three, legacy; four, great wealth; five, sea 
voyage; six, great fame as orator or singer; seven, 
possession of any gift most desired. 



BLIND NUT SEEKERS 

Let several guests be' blindfolded. Then hide 
nuts or apples in various parts of room or house. 
One finding most nuts or apples wins prize. 



BARREL-HOOP 

Suspend horizontally from ceiling a barrel-hoop 
on which are fastened alternately at regular inter- 
vals apples, cakes, candies, candle-ends. Players 
gather in circle and, as it revolves, each in turn 
tries to bite one of the edibles; the one who seizes 
candle pays forfeit. 



RAISIN RACE 

A raisin is strung in middle of thread a yard long, 
and two persons take each an end of string in mouth ; 
whoever, by chewing string, reaches raisin first has 
raisin and will be first wedded. 



180 Hallow-e'en 



HALLOW-E'EN SOUVENIR GAME 

Suspend apples by means of strings in doorway 
or from ceiling at proper height to be caught between 
the teeth. First successful player receives prize. 
These prizes should be Hallow-e'en souvenirs, such 
as emery cushions of silk representing tomatoes, 
radishes, apples, pears, pickles; or pen- wipers rep- 
resenting brooms, bats, cats, witches, etc. 



CANDLE AND APPLE 

At one end of stick i8 inches long fasten an apple; 
at the other end, a short piece of lighted candle, 
suspend stick from ceiling by stout cord fastened 
in its middle so that stick will balance horizontally ; 
while stick revolves players try to catch apple with 
their teeth. A prize may be in center of apple. 



TRUE-LOVER TEST 

Two hazel-nuts are thrown into hot coals by 
maiden, who secretly gives a lover's name to each. 
If one nut bursts, then that lover is unfaithful; but 
if it burns with steady glow until it becomes ashes, 
she knows that her lover is true. Sometimes it 
happens, but not often, that both nuts burn steadily, 
and then the maiden's heart is sore perplexed. 



Hallow-e'en 181 



RING AND GOBLET 

Tie wedding-ring or key to silken thread or horse- 
hair, and hold it suspended within a glass ; then say 
the alphabet slowly; whenever ring strikes glass, 
begin over again and in this way spell name of fu- 
ture mate. 



THREADING A NEEDLE 

Sit on round bottle laid lengthwise on floor, and 
try to thread a needle. First to succeed will be 
first married. 



ALPHABET GAME 

Cut alphabet from newspaper and sprinkle on sur- 
face of water; letters floating may spell or suggest 
name of future husband or wife. 



NEEDLE GAME 

Each person floats greased needle in basin of 
water. Impelled by attraction of gravitation, needles 
will act very curiously; some cling together, others 
rush to margin and remain. The manner in which 
one person's needle behaves towards another's 
causes amusement, and is supposed to be suggestive 
and prophetic. 



182 Hallow-e*en 



APPLES AND FLOUR 

Suspend horizontally from ceiling a stick three 
feet long. On one end stick an apple, upon other tie 
small bag of flour. Set stick whirling. Each guest 
takes turn in trying to bite apple-end of stick. It 
is amusing to see guests receive dabs of flour on 
face. Guest who first succeeds in biting apple gets 
prize. 



CYNIVER 

Each girl and boy seeks an even-leaved sprig of 
ash; first of either sex that finds one calls out 
cyniver, and is answered by first of opposite sex that 
succeeds; and these two, if omen fails not, will be 
joined in wedlock. 



WALNUT BOATS 

Open English walnuts, remove meat, and in each 
half shell fasten short pieces of differently colored 
Christmas candles, each of which is to be named 
for a member of party and, after lighting, set afloat 
in large pan or tub of water. The behavior of these 
tiny boats reveals future of those for whom they are 
named. If two glide on together, their owners have 
a similar destiny; if they glide apart, so will their 



Hallow-e'en 183 



owners. Sometimes candles will huddle together 
as if talking to one another, while perchance one 
will be left alone, out in the cold, as it were. Again, 
two will start off and all the rest will closely follow. 
The one whose candle first goes out is destined to 
be old bachelor or maid. These nut-shell boats may 
also be made by pouring melted wax into halves of 
walnut-shells in which are short strings for wicks. 



WINDING YARN 

Throw a ball of yarn out of window but hold fast 
to one end and begin to wind. As you wind say, "I 
wind, who holds?" over and over again; before end 
of yarn is reached, face of future partner will ap- 
pear in window, or name of sweetheart will be whis- 
pered in ear. 



SNAPDRAGON 

1. The dragon consists of half a pint of ignited 
brandy or alcohol in a dish. As soon as brandy is 
aflame, all lights are extinguished, and salt is freely 
sprinkled in dish, imparting a corpse-like pallor to 
every face. Candied fruits, figs, raisins, sugared 
almonds, etc., are thrown in, and guests snap for 
them with their fingers ; person securing most prizes 
from flames will meet his true love within the year. 

2. Or, slips of paper on which verses are written 
are wrapped tightly in tin-foil and placed in dish. 



184 Hallow-e'en 



Brandy is poured on and ignited. The verse each 
person gets is supposed to tell his fortune. 

Place burning dish in middle of bare table, for 
drops of burning spirits are often splashed about. 



NECKLACE 

Make barrel-hoop into necklace of bread, candies, 
red peppers and candle-ends, and hang horizontally 
from ceiling. Set hoop whirling and try to grasp its 
freight with your teeth. Accordingly as you like 
your first bite will you enjoy married life. 



WINNOWING CORN 

Steal out into barn or garden alone and go three 
times through motions of throwing corn against the 
wind. The third time an apparition of future 
spouse will pass you; in some mysterious manner, 
also, you may obtain an idea of his (her) employ- 
ment and station in life. 



MAGIC STAIRS 

Walk downstairs backward, holding lighted can- 
dle over your head. Upon reaching bottom, turn 
suddenly and before you will stand your wished- 
for one. 



Hallow-e'en 185 



PUMPKIN ALPHABET 

Carve all the letters of the alphabet on a medium 
sized pumpkin. Put it on a dish and set on a stand 
or table. Each guest in turn is blindfolded and given 
a hat-pin, then led to pumpkin, where he (she) is 
expected to stick pin into one of the letters on the 
pumpkin, thus indicating the initial of future life- 
partner. 



JUMPING LIGHTED CANDLE 

Place a lighted candle in middle of floor, not too 
securely placed; each one jumps over it. Whoever 
succeeds in clearing candle is guaranteed a happy 
year, free of trouble or anxiety. He who knocks 
candle over will have a twelve-month of woe. 



DUMB CAKE 

Each one places handful of wheat flour on sheet 
of white paper and sprinkles it over with a pinch 
of salt. Some one makes it into dough, being care- 
ful not to use spring water. Each rolls up a piece 
of dough, spreads it out thin and flat, and marks 
initials on it with a new pin. The cakes are placed 
before fire, and all take seats as far from it as pos- 
sible. This is done before eleven p. m., and be- 
tween that time and midnight each one must turn 



186 Hallow-e'en 



cake once. When clock strikes twelve future wife 
or husband of one who is to be married first will 
enter and lay hand on cake marked with name. 
Throughout whole proceeding not a word is spoken. 
Hence the name "dumb cake." (If supper is served 
before 1 1 :30, "Dumb Cake" should be reserved for 
one of the After-Supper Tests.) 



HIDING RING, THIMBLE AND PENNY 

Hide ring, thimble and penny in room. To one 
who finds ring, speedy marriage is assured ; thimble 
denotes life of single blessedness; penny promises 
wealth. 



PULLING KALE 

All are blindfolded and go out singly or hand-in- 
hand to garden. Groping about they pull up first 
stalk of kale or head of cabbage. If stalk comes 
up easily the sweetheart will be easy to win ; if the 
reverse, hard to win. The shape of the stump will 
hint at figure of prospective wife or husband. Its 
length will suggest age. If much soil clings to it, 
life-partner will be rich; if not, poor. Finally, the 
stump is carried home and hung over door, first 
person outside of family who passes under it will 
bear a name whose initial is same as that of sweet- 
heart. 



Hallow-e'en 187 



PERPLEXING HUNT 

In this game the seeker for a prize is guided from 
place to place by doggerels as the following, and is 
started on his hunt with this rhyme : 

"Perhaps you'll find it in the air; 
If not, look underneath your chair." 
Beneath his chair he finds the following: 
"No, you will not find it here ; 
Search the clock and have no fear." 
Under the clock he finds: 

"You will have to try once more; 
Look behind the parlor door," 
Tied to the door-knob he discovers : 
"If it's not out in the stable. 
Seek beneath the kitchen table." 
Under the kitchen table he finds another note, 
which reads: 

"If your quest remains uncertain, 
You will find it 'neath a curtain." 
And here his quest is rewarded by finding the 
prize. 



DOUGH TEST 

Take water and meal and make dough. Write on 
slips of paper names of several of opposite sex 
friends; roll papers into balls of dough and drop 
them into water. First name to appear will be fu- 
ture husband or wife. 



188 Hallow-e'en 



WATER EXPERIMENT 

A laughable experiment consists in filling mouth 
with water and walking around house or block with- 
out swallowing or spilling a drop. First person of 
opposite sex you meet is your fate. A clever hostess 
will send two unsuspecting lovers by different doors ; 
they are sure to meet, and not unfrequently settle 
matters then and there. 



THE DREAMER 

If a maid wishes to know whom she is to marry, 
if a man of wealth, tradesman, or traveler, let her, 
on All-Hallow-e'en, take a walnut, hazelnut, and nut- 
meg ; grate and mix them with butter and sugar into 
pills, and take when she goes to bed; and then, if 
her fortune be to marry a rich man, her sleep will 
be filled with gold dreams; if a tradesman, she will 
dream of odd noises and tumults ; if a traveler, there 
will be thunder and lightning to disturb her. 



MIRROR AND APPLE 

Stand in front of mirror in dimly lighted room and 
eat an apple. If your lover reciprocates your love 
he will appear behind you and look over your right 
shoulder and ask for a piece of apple. 



Hallow-e'en 189 



CELLAR STAIRS 

Cellar-stairs' test is where girl boldly goes down 
stairs backward, holding a mirror, and trying to 
catch in it the features of him who is to be her mate. 



AROUND THE WALNUT TREE 

Of all Hallow-e*en spells and charms associated 
with nuts, the following is one of the oldest: If a 
young man or woman goes at midnight on Hal- 
low-e'en to a walnut tree and walks around three 
times, crying out each time, "Let him (her) that 
is to be my true love bring me some walnuts,*V fu- 
ture wife or husband will be seen in tree gathering 
nuts. 



DUCKING FOR APPLES 

Into one tub half filled with water are placed 
apples to the stems of which are tied bits of paper 
containing the names of the boys present at the 
party, while across the room is a similar tub in 
which the names of the girls are placed. With hands 
tied behind them the young folks endeavor to extri- 
cate the apples with their teeth, and it is alleged that 
the name appearing upon the slip fastened to the 
apple is the patronymic of the future helpmeet of 
the one securing the fruit from the receptacle. 



190 Hallow-e'en 



COMBING HAIR BEFORE MIRROR 

Stand alone before mirror, and by light of candle 
comb your hair; face of your future partner will 
appear in glass, peeping over your shoulder. 



THE FOUR SAUCERS 

Place four saucers on table in line. Into first put 
dirt; into second, water; into third, a ring; into 
fourth, a rag. Guests are blindfolded and led around 
table twice ; then told to go alone and put fingers into 
saucer. If they put into dirt, it means divorce; into 
water, a trip across ocean; where ring is, to marry; 
where rag is, never to marry. 



GAME OF FATE 

Guests take part, seated in a circle. Three Fates 
are chosen, one of whom whispers to each person 
in turn name of his (her) future sweetheart. Second 
Fate follows, whispering to each where he (she) will 
next meet his (her) sweetheart; as, "You will meet 
on a load of hay." or, "at a picnic." or, "at church," 
or, "on the river," etc. The third Fate reveals the 
future; as, "You will marry him (her) next Christ- 
mas," or, "You will be separated many years by a 
quarrel, but will finally marry," or, "Neither of you 
will ever marry," etc. Each guest must remember 



Hallow-e'en 191 



what is said by the Fates ; then each in turn repeats 
aloud what has been told him (her). For example, 
"My future sweetheart*s name is Obednego ; I shall 
meet him next Wednesday on the Moonlight Excur- 
sion, and we shall be married in a week." 



WHERE DWELLS MY LOVER? 

Steal out unobserved at midnight; plucking a 
small lock of hair from your head, cast it to breeze. 
Whatever direction it is blown is believed to be 
location of future matrimonial partner. 

"I pluck this lock of hair off my head 
To tell whence comes the one I shall wed. 
Fly, silken hair, fly all the world around 
Until you reach the spot where my true love is 
found." 



FEATHER TESTS 

To foretell complexion of future mate, select three 
soft fluffy feathers. (If none is handy, ask for a 
pillow and rip open and take out feathers.) On 
bottom end of each feather fasten a small piece of 
paper ; a drop of paste or mucilage will hold all three 
in place. Write "blonde" on one paper ; "brunette," 
on another, and "medium" on the third. Label 
papers before gluing them on feathers. Hold up 



192 Hallow-e'en 



feather by its top and send it flying with a puff of 
breath. Do same with the other two; the feather 
landing nearest you denotes complexion of your true 
love. To make test sure, try three times, not using 
too much force in blowing feathers, which should 
land on table, not on floor. 



ROSE TEST 

Take two roses with long stems. Name one for 
yourself and one for your lover. Go to your room 
without speaking to any one; kneel beside bed; 
twine stems of roses together, and repeat following 
lines, gazing intently on lover's rose: 

"Twine, twine, and intertwine, 
Let my love be wholly thine. 
If his heart be kind and true. 
Deeper grow his rose's hue." 
If your swain is faithful, color of rose will grow 
darker. 



DRY BREAD 

Dreams mean much on Hallowe'en, but certain 
ceremonies must be carefully followed in order to 
insure the spell. Before going to sleep for the night 
have some one bring a small piece of dry bread. 
No word can be spoken after this ; silence must pre- 



Hallow-e'en 193 



vail. Eat bread slowly, at same time making a 
wish and thinking the pleasantest thing imaginable. 
Then drop off to sleep, and your dreams will be 
sweet and peaceful, and your wish will come true, 
if the charm works. 



THE LOAF CAKE 

A loaf cake is often made, and in it are placed a 
ring and a key. The former signifies marriage, and 
the latter a journey, and the person who cuts the 
slice containing either must accept the inevitable. 



TO TRY ONE'S LUCK 

In a dish of mashed potatoes place a ring, a dime, 
and a thimble. Each guest is provided with a spoon 
with which to eat the potatoes; whoever gets the 
ring is to be married within a year ; the thimble sig- 
nifies single blessedness, while the dime prophesies 
riches or a legacy. 

Some canny lassies have been known to get the 
ring into one of their very first spoonfuls, and have 
kept it for fun in their mouths, tucked snugly be- 
neath the tongue, until the dish was emptied. Such 
a lass was believed to possess the rare accomplish- 
ment of being able to hold her tongue, but never- 
theless tricky. 



194 Hallow-e'en 



MELTING LEAD 

Each person melts some lead and pours it through 
a wedding-ring or key into a dish of water. The 
lead will cool in various shapes, supposed to be pro- 
phetic. Any ingenious person will interpret the 
shapes, and furnish much amusement for the listen- 
ers; thus, a bell-shaped drop indicates a wedding 
within the year ; a drop resembling a torch or lamp 
signifies fame; a pen or ink-bottle, that the future 
companion is to be an author; a horn of plenty, 
wealth ; a bag or trunk, travel ; etc. 



NAMING CHESTNUTS 

Roast three chestnuts before the fire, one of which 
is named for some lady (or gentleman) ; the other 
two, for gentlemen (or ladies). If they separate, 
so will those for whom they are named ; those jump- 
ing toward the fire are going to a warmer climate; 
those jumping from the fire, to a colder climate; 
if two gentlemen jump toward one another, it means 
rivalry. 



THE MIRROR 

Walk backward several feet out of doors in moon- 
light with mirror in your hand, or within doors with 
candle in one hand and mirror in the other, repeat- 



Hallow-e'en 195 



ing following rhyme, and face of your future com- 
panion will appear in glass: 

"Round and round, O stars so fair! 
Ye travel and search out everywhere; 
I pray you, sweet stars, now show to me 
This night who my future husband (wife) shall 
be." 



BOWLS 

One bowl is filled with clear water, another with 
wine, a third with vinegar, a fourth is empty. All 
are placed in line on table. Each person in turn is 
blindfolded, turned about three times, and led to 
table. A hand is put out and prophecy made by 
bowl touched. Water shows happy, peaceful life; 
wine promises rich, eventful, noble career; vinegar, 
misery and poverty ; an empty bowl is a Sjnnbol of 
bachelor or spinster life. 



LOVER*S TEST 

A maid and youth each places a chestnut to roast 
on fire, side by side. If one hisses and steams, it 
indicates a fretful temper in owner of chestnut; if 
both chestnuts equally misbehave it augurs strife. 
If one or both pop away, it means separation; but 
if both burn to ashes tranquilly side by side, a long 



196 Hallow-e'en 



life of undisturbed happiness will be lot of owners. 
These portentous omens are fitly defined in the 
following lines: 

"These glowing nuts are emblems true 
Of what in human life we view ; 
The ill-matched couple fret and fume, 
And thus in strife themselves consume; 
Or from each other wildly start, 
And with a noise forever part. 
But see the happy, happy pair, 
Of genuine love and truth sincere; 
With mutual fondness while they burn, 
Still to each other kindly turn ; 
And as the vital sparks decay. 
Together gently sink away; 
Till life's fierce trials being past, 
Their mingled ashes rest at last." 



FLOUR TEST 

A bowl is filled tightly with flour. During the 
process of filling, a wedding ring is inserted vertic- 
ally in some part of it. The bowl, when full, is in- 
verted upon a dish and withdrawn, leaving the 
mound of flour on the dish. Each guest cuts off 
with a knife a thin slice which crumbles into dust. 
The guest who cuts off the slice containing the ring 
will be married first. 



Hallow-e'en 197 



APPLE SEEDS 

Apple seeds act as charms on Hallowe'en. Stick 
one on each eyelid and name one "Home" and the 
other "Travel." If seed named travel stays on 
longer, you will go on a journey before year expires. 
If "Home" clings better, you will remain home. 
Again, take all the apple seeds, place them on back 
of outspread left hand and with loosely clenched 
right hand strike palm of left. This will cause 
some, if not all, of seeds to fall. Those left on hand 
show number of letters you will receive the coming 
fortnight. Should all seeds drop, you must wait 
patiently for your mail. 

Put twelve apple seeds carefully one side while 
you cut twelve slips of blank paper exactly alike, 
and on one side of each write name of friend. Turn 
them all over with blanks uppermost and mix them 
so that you will not know which is which; then, 
holding seeds in your left hand, repeat: 

"One I love. 
Two I love. 

Three I love I say; 
Four I love with all my heart 
Five I cast away. 
Six he loves. 
Seven she loves. 
Eight they both love; 
Nine he comes. 



198 Hallow-e'en 



Ten he tarries, 

Eleven he courts and 
Twelve he marries." 

Stop at each line to place a seed on a paper, and 
turn slip over to discover name of one you love or 
cast away. Continue matching apple seeds with 
papers as you count, until all twelve seeds and 
twelve papers are used. 



:^^^ 



Thanksgiving 

AFTER DINNER GAMES FOR THANKS- 
GIVING DAY 

The game of enigmatical menus, as its name im- 
plies, is not only especially appropriate for Thanks- 
giving Day, but has the further merit of not requir- 
ing a great deal of preparation beforehand, and is 
therefore not too great a tax upon a busy woman's 
time. Before this greatest feast day of the year, 
the hostess is usually so fully occupied in planning 
the actual bill of fare, that a game which requires 
nothing more than pencils, and sheets of paper with 
the following riddles either plainly written or type- 
written upon them, will be found a boon indeed. 
An hour's time is usually allowed for guessing the 
names of the guests, and of the viands suggested 
upon any one of the menus which are given together 
with the correct answers. 



A DINNER FOR HISTORIC CELEBRITIES 

The Guests 
I. He who refused the crown of England. — 
Cromwell. 

199 



200 Thanksgiving 



2. The conqueror of Napoleon I. — ^The Duke of 
Wellington. 

3. He who escaped from his foes by reversing his 
horse's shoes. — Israel O. Putnam. 

4. He who owed his good fortune to his cat. — 
Dick Whittington. 

5. The inventor of printing. — Guttenberg. 

6. The captive king whose hiding place was dis- 
covered by his troubadour. — Richard Coeur de Leon. 

7. A sly one. — Fox. 

8. The kernel of the peach.—Pitt. 

9. Minister to George II. — ^Walpole. 

10. The author of Poor Richard's Almanac. Ben- 
jamin Franklin. 

The Menu 

1. Soup — The mainstay of the Chinese. Rice. 

2. Fish— A color. Blue Fish. 

3. Roast — The pride of Old England. Roast 
Beef. 

4. Vegetable — A porridge and an apartment. 
Mushroom. 

5. Game — ^A nut cracker. — Squirrel. 

6. Salad — Part of a house and a letter. Celery. 

7. Pudding — A summer residence. Cottage. 

8. Cake — What variety gives to life. Spice. 



Thanksgiving 201 



g. Fruit — From an historic tree. Cherries. 

10. Wine — The kind of invitation one likes to re- 
ceive. Cordial. 



A DINNER FOR LITERARY CELEBRITIES 

The Guests 

I A barrel maker. — Cooper. 

2. A mixture of black and white. — Gray. 

3. The baby of the flock. Lamb. 

4. A disagreeable fellow to have on one's foot. 
Bunyan. 

5. Joyous hardness. Gladstone. 

6. A country in Europe. Holland. 

7. A lion's abode, free from dampness. Dryden. 

8. A head covering. Hood. 

9. Small talk and a cask. Chatterton. 
10. Absence of all color. Black. 

The Menu 

1. Soup — What a ship sometimes springs. Leek. 

2. Fish — All colors combined. White Fish. 

3. Roast — A red hot bar of iron. Pig. 

4. Vegetable — To steal mildly. Cabbage. 

5. Game — Chinese English. Pigeon. 

6. Relish — Dreadful predicaments. Pickles. 

7. Pudding— The mantle of winter. Snow. 



202 Thanksgiving 



8. Cake — Brightest and best of all. Sunshine. 

9. Fruit — ^A church dignitary and a fruit. Elder- 
berry. 

10. Wine — An island in the Atlantic. Madeira. 



NUTS TO CRACK 

Pass pencils and paper to each guest with the 
following written upon it : — 

1 (A Dairy product.) 

2 (A Vegetable.) 

3 (A Country.) 

4 (A Girl's name.)^ 

5 (A structure.) 

6 (A name often applied to one of our presidents.) 

7 (Every Ocean has one.) 

8 (That which often holds a treasure.) 

9 (The names of two boys) 

10 (A letter of the alphabet and an article made 
of tin.) 

Explain that the above describes ten different nuts, 
which they are to guess. The nuts described are 
(i) butternut; (2) peanut; (3) brazil nut; (4) hazel 
tiut; (5) walnut; (6) hickory nut; (7) beechnut; 
(8) chestnut; (9) filbert; (10) pecan. A prize may 
be awarded to the one first having correct answers. 



Thanksgiving 203 



Thanksgiving originated with the pilgrims who 
came from England in the Mayflower. What other 
ships were they acquainted with? Provide the 
guests with pencils and paper having the following 
questions written upon it : 

1. What they met for on Sunday? 

2. What feeling existed among them? 

3. What ship was popular with the young folks? 

4. What did it lead up to? 

5. What was one of the young women fond of? 

6. What was unpleasant for them? 

7. What caused them to leave England? 

8. What interfered with their peace? 

9. What would have aided them? 
10. What increased their number? 

A prize may be awarded to the one who correctly 
answers the questions first. The answers are: i. 
Worship; 2. Friendship; 3. Courtship; 4. Partner- 
ship; 5. Fellowship; 6. Hardship; 7. Rulership; 8. 
Lreadership; 9. Airship; 10. Heirship. 



Christmas 



"Christmas comes but once a year and when it 
comes it brings" — a whole lot of things. If there 
doesn't seem to be anything to be thankful for, there 
was a Christmas hundreds of years ago which gave 
us One who comprised and radiated everything to 
be thankful for, so let us rejoice in memory of that 
Christmas and be merry and cheerful and glad. 

Children, especially, love to have games and 
amusements at this time of the year, so a number 
are suggested as appropriate, some of which will 
prove entertaining to grown-ups. 



JOLLY ST. NICHOLAS 

One child is chosen to represent Jolly St. Nicholas 
or Santa Claus and stands in the center of the room. 
The other children stand around in a circle while 
Santa Claus reads his rules of good behavior to them 
which are as follows : — 

"You must speak when you are spoken to. Do 
you understand?" (The children reply, "Yes, sir.") 

"You must come when you are called. Come 
here." (The children run toward Santa Claus and 
stand still when he raises his hand.) 

204 



Christmas 205 



"You must keep your place." (The children re- 
turn to their former places.) 

"You must be asleep by eight o'clock." (Santa 
Claus counts eight and the children must all close 
their eyes by the time he says *eight.') 

"It is more blessed to give than to receive." The 
children are supposed to keep their eyes closed and 
when Santa Claus gives them something (which 
will be a little tap on the hand or a light trod on 
the foot, a kiss, a hug or gentle pull of the hair or 
ear or something of that sort,) the recipient must 
pass it on to the next who passes it on to the next 
and so on. 

If Santa Claus observes anyone disobeying his 
rules he tags them and they are out of the game. 
If any of the children succeed in being perfectly 
good children they are given a suitable prize by 
Santa Claus, and another Santa Claus chosen if it 
is desired to continue the game. 



CHRISTMAS STOCKING 

Paint or draw on a sheet the picture of a fireplace. 
Tack this to the wall and after providing each child 
with a small stocking and pin, blindfold them in 
turn, telling them to hang up their stocking at 
the mantel. Drop a small toy in the stocking of 
those who succeed before taking the handkerchief 
from their eyes. Those who fail may have one more 
turn after all have had a chance. 



206 Christmas 



CHRISTMAS CANDLES 

Place on a low table a small Christmas tree, on 
which there is arranged lighted candles. Blindfold 
each child in turn, having them stand about one foot 
away with their back turned toward the tree. He 
is then told to take three steps forward, turn around 
three times, then walk four steps and blow as hard 
as he can. A prize is awarded to the one who blows 
out the most candles. 



HOLLY WREATH OR SNOW BALL 

Make several snowballs from crepe paper or white 
cotton. Hang a large holly wreath in the doorway 
and let each child in turn try to throw his snowball 
through the wreath. The players who are success- 
ful throw three balls through the wreath, and the 
one who throws them all through receives a prize. 



AFTER DINNER GAMES FOR CHRISTMAS 

A DINNER FOR CONTEMPORARY 

CELEBRITIES 

The Guests 

1. The first month of the year. Janvier. 

2. Strong and sturdy. Hardy. 

3. An out of date arrangement for the front hair. 
Bangs. 



Christmas 207 



4. An author whose name is on every page. Page. 

5. The poet laureate of England. Alfred Austin. 

6. A medium for transatlantic messages. Cable. 

7. One form of single blessedness. Bacheller 
(Irving). 

8. The pedestrian's aid. Caine (Hall). 

9. What springs eternal in the human breast. 
Hope (Anthony). 

10. A dignitary of the church. Abbott (Lyman). 

The Menu 

1. Soup — Toe not found on man. Tomato. 

2. Fish — A unit of measurement. Perch. 

3. Roast — A lean wife. Spare rib. 

4. Vegetable — The result of pressure. Squash. 

5. Game — Timber and the herald of the dawn. 
Woodcock. 

6. Salad — He who fights the Japanese. Russian. 

7. Pudding — An aborigine. Indian. 

8. Cake — A tropical sea plant. Sponge. 

9. Fruit — To waste away and Eve's temptation. 
Pineapple. 

i^. Wine — A part of the foot and a letter. Tokay. 



A LUNCHEON FOR LITERARY WOMEN 

The Guests 

1. A verdant one. Greene (Anna Katherine). 

2. To evade. Dodge (Mary Mapes). 

3. A head covering and a tavern. Wiggin (Kate 
Douglas). 



208 Christmas 



4. What ships and schooners often cross. Barr 
(Amelia E.). 

5. A thistle's product and a head dress. Burnett 
(Frances Hodgson) . 

6. A part of the human body. Foote (Mary Hal- 
lock). 

7. A pig's house and a measurement. Pennell 
(Elizabeth). 

8. A guardian's trust. Ward (Mrs. Humphry). 

9. Act of a poor cook. Burnham. (Clara Louise). 

10. What the rebellion made of every negro. 
Freeman (Mary E. Wilkins). 

The Menu 

1. Fruit — Small shot. Grape fruit. 

2. Fish — A soft shelled sign of the Zodiac. Crab. 

3. Roast — A genial English author. Lamb. 

4. Sauce — A money maker. Mint. 

5. Vegetable — A city of Belgium and what a 
leaf does in spring. Brussels sprouts. 

6. Salad — Elizabeth and her German. Garden. 

7. Tarts — Water in motion. Currant. 

8. Cake — A precious metal. Gold. 

9. Ice — A celebrated prince. Orange (William 
of). 

10. The floral Decorations — ^The flowers that 
bloomed on their lips. Roses. 



INDEX 



GAMES FOR TINY TOTS 

A Running Maze ii 

Bean Bag ii 

Birds Fly 12 

Button, Button 12 

Bingo 13 

Blindman's Buff 14 

Blowing The Feather 14 

Cock Fighting , 15 

Catching The Mouse 16 

Drop The Handkerchief 16 

Donkey's Tail 17 

Frog In the Middle 17 

Green Gravel 17 

Hunt The Ring 18 

Hot Tamales ig 

Hunt The Slipper 19 

Hot Boiled Beans and Bacon 20 

Hide and Seek 21 

Hiss and Clap 22 

London Bridge 22 

Miss Jennia Jones 24 

Oats and Beans and Barley 26 

Puss In the Corner . 27 

Rule of Contrary 27 

Soap Bubble Battle 28 

Spider Web 29 

Severed Flowers 29 



Index— Continued 



GAMES FOR CHILDREN 

Acting Proverbs 33 

Blind Man's Wand 34 

Blind Postman, The 34 

Blowing The Candle 35 

Cat and Mouse 35 

Clairvoyant, The 36 

Cushion Dance, The , 37 

Change Seats : The King's Come 37 

Duck Under The Water 38 

Gardener, The 38 

Going To Jerusalem 39 

Game of Cat 40 

Grand Mufti 40 

Here I Bake, Here I Brew 41 

Hat Game 41 

Huntsman, The 42 

He Can Do Little Who Can't Do This 43 

Hissing and Clapping 43 

Hold Fast! Let Go ! 44 

Hunt The V/histle 45 

I Sell My Bat, I Sell My Ball 45 

Judge and Jury 46 

My Master Bids You Do As I Do 46 

Magic Music 47 

Malaga Raisins 48 

Our Old Grannie Doesn't Like Tea 48 

Oranges and Lemons 49 

Old Soldier 50 

Post-Office 50 



Index— Continued 



Peter Piper 51 

Sea and Her Children, The 52 

Stage Coach, The 52 

Shadow Buff 53 

Steps 54 

Spelling Game, The 54 

Simon Says 56 

Sergeant, The 57 

Sea King, The 57 

Tongue Twisters 58 

Trades 58 

Think of A Number 59 

This and That 60 

What Am I Doing 60 

Wonderment 61 

Wink 62 

Riddles , 62 



GAMES FOR ADULTS 

Advice 75 

Adjectives 75 

Animal, Vegetable, or Mineral 76 

Acting Rhymes 77 

Bird-Catcher, The 78 

Buzz 78 

Birds, Fruits and Flowers , 79 

Cities 80 

Cook Who Doesn't Like Peas, The 80 

Consequences 81 

Cross Questions and Crooked Answers 82 



Index— Continued 



Curate, The 83 

Definitions 84 

Earth, Air, Fire and Water 84 

Farmyard, The 85 

Forbidden Letter, The 86 

Forbidder Vowels, The 86 

Fortune Telling 87 

Game of Conversation, The 89 

Guilty Or Innocent go 

Guessing Groceries 91 

Gossip 91 

How? When? Where? 92 

I Love My Love With An A 93 

It 93 

Jack's Alive 94 

Menagerie, The 95 

Minister's Cat, The 95 

Magic Writing 96 

Mimic Club, The 97 

My Lady's Toilet 98 

Partners 98 

Proverbs 99 

Questions and Answers loi 

Ruth and Jacob 102 

Rhymes 103 

Sketches 103 

Traveller's Alphabet 103 

Thought Reading i62r 

The Little Dutch Band 105 

What's My Thought Like 106 



Index— Continued 



FORFEITS 

Forfeits 107 

GAMES FOR SPECIAL 
OCCASIONS 

New Year's Day 115 

Lincoln's Birthday 122 

St. Valentine's Day 127 

Washington's Birthday 132 

April Fools' Day 142 

Easter 154 

May Day 163 

Fourth of July 169 

Hallow-e'en 174 

Thanksgiving 199 

Christmas 204 



TIGHT-WADS 

A collection of the best stories that could be 
found after a careful research, by 

R. U. TITE 

With sixteen illustrations of different types of 
" Tight-Wads " you have met, by 

CLARE A. BRIGGS, 

The famous cartoonist of "The Chicago Tribune." 

This unique volume presents the Tight- Wad in 
all his glory, showing him "at home," on the "street 
car," while "entertaining friends," when "put with 
the boys," and other places too numerous to men- 
tion. Mr. Briggs' illustrations prove that during 
his travelling experience he has encountered many 
descendants of the Tight- Wad family who have 
made a lasting impression on his mind. From title 
to "finis" the book abounds in wit and humor 
which will make you scream as loud as the eagle on 
the cover. 

Cloth binding with four color 
inlay, square 16 mo., 50c. 



For sale at all book stores, or sent (postage paid) on receipt 
of price, by the publishers 

BREWER, BARSE CSt. CO. 

300-304 WABASH AVE. CHICAGO 



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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 

019 953 896 2» 

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